OF  THE  . 

U N I VERS'tfY 

or  iLLir^ois 

133.<b 

V23p 

1897 


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1 " 


'T^<  '■ 


UBRARY 
Of  THE 
UNIVERSITY  Of  ILLINOIS 


The  Author’s  Hand 


V-  ’V 
\ ■ 


Oentle  1Rea^er: 

®e  tbott  believer  or  unbeliever  fit  ije 
ancient  Science  of  ipalmistrs,  J invite 
tbee,  earnestly  anb  corbiall^,  to  peruse 
these  pages  with  sucb  patience  anb  atten* 
tion  as  mg  long  anb  conscientious  labor 
beserves. 

trbou  sbalt  be  rewarbeb  bg  obtaining 
clear  anb  reliable  insight  into  tbg  life— 
past,  present  anb  future— anb  also;  if  tbou 
carest,  into  the  lives  anb  fates  of  those 
wbo  will,  for  a few  moments,  place  their 
banbs  into  tbg  beeping. 

Oomte  (L  be  Saint^ermaiii* 


703329 


1 


CONTENTS 


I. 

II. 


III. 

IV. 
N.  V. 

VI. 


VII. 

VIII. 

IX. 
X. 
XI. 
XII, 
XIII. 
^ XIV. 

XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 

XVIII. 


Page 

Introducing*  the  Authort  . i 

A Defense  of  Palmistry,  Based  on  Facts,  . • 11 
The  Map  of  the  Hand, 23 

The  Chirognomy  of  the  Hand.  iSi^ y 


The  Hand,  the  Palm,  the  Fingers,  the  Finger-tips,  . US 
The  Knots,  the  Nails,  ...... 

The  Thumb  and  Its  Mysteries,  ....  64 

The  Primitive  Hand,  the  Woman’s  Hand,  the  Mur- 
derer’s Hand,  . . , . • . . . 71 

The  Chiromancy  of  the  Hand. 


The  Mounts  of  the  Hand 

The  Principal  Lines  and  Signs — The  Minor  Lines 

on  the  Mounts,  . 

The  Line  of  Life,  ....... 

The  Lines,  or  Rays,  of  Influence,  , . . . 

How  to  Reckon  Dates 

The  Line  of  Mars — The  Rascette — The  Line  of  Heart, 
The  Line  of  Head,  ....... 

The  Line  of  Fate — The  Line  of  Liver — The  Via 
Lasciva,  . . , . , . . , 

The  Line  of  the  Sun — The  Lines  of  Marriage — The 
Line  of  Intuition — The  Girdle  of  Venus, 

The  Quadrangle — The  Triangle,  .... 

Chance  Lines  — Lines  and  Signs  on  Thumb  and 

Fingers, 

Double  Lexicon  of  Palmistic  Indications, 


74 

96 

116 

125 

133 

146 

161 

177 

189 

202 

210 

220 


Appendix. 

Theory — Interviews  ; Authorities  ; Opinions  of  Famous  Men 
Concerning  the  Scientific  and  Practical  Value  of  Palm- 
istry,   363 


Hands  of  Celebrities. 


TABLE  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


1-  Tht  Map  of  the  Hand 25 

2.  The  Pointed  Fingers 44 

3.  The  Conical  Fingers 46 

4.  The  Square  Fingers 48 

5.  The  Spatulate  Fingers 50 

6.  The  Finger  Knots 55 

7.  The  Finger  Nails 59 

8.  The  Various  Shapes  of  Thumbs 65 

9.  The  Primitive  Hand 72 

10.  The  Woman*s  Hand 74 

11.  The  Murderer’s  Hand 76 

12.  The  Mounts  of  the  Hand 81 

13.  The  Fourteen  Main  Lines  of  the  Hand 97 

14.  The  Signs  and  Modifications  of  the  Lines 101 

15.  About  the  Line  of  Life 1 18 

16.  About  the  Line  of  Life 121 

17.  About  the  Line  of  Life 124 

18.  How  to  Calculate  Dates : The  N ew  System 138 

19.  How  to  Calculate  Dates : The  System  of  Ten 139 

20.  About  the  Line  of  Mars  and  the  Rascette ...147 

21.  About  the  Line  of  Heart ...151 

22.  About  the  Line  of  Heart. 155 

23.  About  the  Line  of  Heart 157 

24.  About  the  Line  of  Head. 163 

25.  About  the  Line  of  Head 165 

26.  About  the  Line  of  Head 170 

27.  About  the  Line  of  Fate 179 

28.  About  Sundry  Lines 183 

29.  About  Sundry  Lines 185 

30.  About  Sundry  Lines 190 

31.  About  Sundry  Lines 192 

32.  About  Sundry  Lines 195 

33.  Various  Lines  and  Signs 214 

34.  Various  Lines  and  Signs 216 

3.5.  Various  Lines  and  Signs 218 

36.  The  Lucky  Hand • . • 231 

37.  The  Unfortunate  Hand 249 


Hands  of  Celebrities. 

Wiliiam  E.  Gladstone.  Mrs.  Langtry. 

Vice-Roy  Li-  Flung-Chang.  Miss  Esther  Palliser. 

General  Boulanger.  Jim  Corbett  (both  hands). 

Queen  Elizabeth.  Miss  Edna  Lyall. 

Sarah  Bernhardt.  Eugene  Sandow. 

Mrs.  Keeley.  Deeming,  the  murderer. 


Our  Cloth  Bound  Edition  Contains  Besides : 

A photographed  hand  of  the  author. 


Vincent  dTndy,  the  music  coniposer. 
Carolus-Duran,  the  painter. 

S.  MacManus,  the  writer. 

Mownet  Sully,  the  foremost  French 
tragedian. 

Marcellin  Beithelot,  famous  scientist. 
Fran9ois  Copde,  leading  French  poet. 
“Gyp”  (Countess  de  Martel),  novelist. 
Alexandre  Dumas,  fils,  novelist. 


Loie  Fuller,  the  dancer. 

Emile  Zola,  the  novelist. 

William  Bouguereau,  the  painter. 
Whistler,  the  painter  and  etcher. 
Madame  R6jane,  the  Parisian  actress 
Sarasate,  the  great  Spanish  Violinist. 
Maud  Gonne,  the  “Irish  Joan  of  Arc/ 

Young  “Chimpanzee”  Monkey. 


mTjaoDX5ci3srG  the  authob. 


Comte  C.  de  Saint-Germain  has  finally  consented  to 
give  to  the  public  the  results  of  his  twenty-five  years’ 
close  study  of  this  strange  science,  or  art,  or  fad,  which 
is  called  by  the  various  names  of  palmistry,  chiro- 
mancy, chirognomy — and,  for  short,  hand  reading.  He 
IS  a peculiar  man,  the  comte  is.  Paris  is  his  home,  but 
the  world  at  large  has  been  his  play  ground  for  years. 
Ever  since  1865,  when  he  visited  Adrien  Desbarrolles 
in  his  modest  home  in  the  Quartier  Latin,  he  has  felt 
strangely  attracted  toward  this  curious  field  of  knowl- 
edge, which  has  counted  among  its  investigators  the 
old  Hindoo  wizards,  Aristotle,  the  prince  of  philos- 
ophers, and  hundreds  of  the  most  profound  scientists 
of  the  middle  ages,  as  well  as  many  savants  of  the  nine- 
teenth century. 


CHAPTER  I. 


A OF  PALMISTRY  BASED  OIT  FACTS. 

/"^Man  has  always  been  anxious  to  pierce  the  dense 
Veil  that  separates  the  present  from  the  future.  Hence 
the  prestige,  the  popularity  invariably  enjoyed  by 
those  who  called  themselves  sybils,  pythonisses,  wiz- 
ards, prophets,  true  or  false.  History,  both  biblical 
and  general,  is  full  of  incidents  illustrating  this  intense 
yearning  of  the  human  being  toward  the  unfathom- 
able. You  all  have  read  about  it.  You  all  feel  about 
it  as  your  ancestors,  two  or  fifty  generations  back, 
have  felt.  In  a word  you  want  to  know. 

Now,  that  thirst  for  knowledge  is  only  to  be  satis- 
fied with  knowledge.  Upon  what  foundation  that 
knowledge  is  based  is  comparatively  uninteresting;  it 
is  not  the  theory  of  the  thing  you  are  after,  it  is  the 
thing  itself.  And  what  I propose  to  do  in  this  work 
of  mine  is  to  give  you  the  means  of  attaining  such 
kfiowl^ge,  all  by  yourself,  without  any  effort  except  a 

ini 


A DEFENSE  OF  FALMiSTR^ 


fe 

little  close  attention  for  a short  while.  And  to  begin 
with,  I am  not  going  to  render  these  pages  top  heavy 
by  taking  matters  back  ‘'from  the  egg”  and  telling  you 
the  reason,  the  why  and  wherefore  of  every  one  of  the 
statements  I shall  make. 

These  statements,  verify  them  yourself,  in  the  hands 
of  people  you  know — or  think  you  know  intimately; 
repeat  this  operation  five,  ten  times,  with  different 
hands,  and  conviction  is  bound  to  come  to  you  when 
in  every  single  case  you  shall  have  realized  that  the 
statement  was  correct  and  is  confirmed  by  the  actual^ 
living  facts. 

As  an  introduction,  I only  ask  you  to  read  these  few 
paragraphs,  'not  a line  of  which  can  be  truthfully  con- 
tested by  the  most  incredulous  of  cynicsj 

Palmistry,  chiromancy,  chirosophy — call  it  what 
you  like — has  been  said  to  trace  its  mysteries  to  the 
stars,  their  influence  on  the  earth  and  its  denizens,  the 
magnetic  fluid  that  incontestably  issues  from  their  far- 
away splendor.  Then,  again,  the  mysteries  of  the 
hand  and  their  relation  with  our  temperament,  our 
past  and  our  future  fate,  have  been  ascribed  to  physi- 
ology  and  psychology  curiously  blended,  the  nervous 
system  acting  as  a connecting  iink  between  the  brain 


A DEFENSE  OF  PALMISTRY 


13 


and  the  palm — those  two  reservoirs  of  our  most  acute 
sensations. 

Both  theories  can  be  and  have  been  eloqu*ently 
defended.  Poets  have  sung  their  strangely  enticing 
beauties;  philosophers  of  world-wide  fame  have 
pledged  their  reputations  upon  their  scientific  exact- 
ness; writers  of  grand  books — a Balzac,  a Dumas,  a 
Bulwer — ^liave  repeatedly  and  emphatically  declared 
their  faith  in  them  to  be  unconquerable.  And  yet 
neither  of  these  theories  is  anything  to  me — anything 
to  you.  Our  century  is  a century  of  facts,  of  proofs, 
of  realities.  Of  the  X rays  revealed  to  it  but  yesterday, 
it  knows  nothing,  but  that  they  exist  and  have  ren- 
dered opacity  a back  number  in  the  realm  of  science; 
and  the  knowledge  suffices;  the  cause,  let  the  dreamers 
dream  about  it  at  their  leisure.  The  century  registers 
the  astounding  results,  nods  its  approval,  its  delight, 
and  passes  on. 

Thousands  of  profound  students  of  nature^s  phe- 
nomena have  gathered  one  by  one  the  links  of  this 
chain  of  knowledge.  For  instance,  some  of  them  have 
gazed  into  hundreds  of  murderers’  hands.  What  have 
they  found?  In  almost  every  case  when  the  murder 
was  a brutal,  savage  one,  the  nailed  p^lanx  of  the 


14 


A DEFENSE  OF  PALMISTRY 


thumb  of  the  assassin  was  abnormally  broad,  wide  and 
flattened;  on  the  middle  phalanx  of  the  second  finger 
was  found  a star  while  a cross  appeared  within  the 
plain  of  Mars.  The  first  observer  noted  down  the 
repeated  occurrence  of  these  three  signs  in  the  hands 
of  convicted  murderers.  He  wrote  a book — perhaps 
far  back  in  the  fifteenth  century.  Another  man  came 
after  him,  read  that  page  and  started  to  examine  other 
murderers’  hands.  The  result  was  the  same.  And  so 
on,  and  so  on,  generation  after  generation,  from  Aris- 
totle down  to  Desbarrolles,  down  to  me.  I visit  once, 
twice,  ten  times  the  cells  of  convicted  murderers.  Here 

i are  the  broad,  flattened  thumb,  the  star  on  the  second 

\ 

I finger,  the  cross  in  the  plain  of  Mars.  What  must  I 
believe?  What  would  you  believe  in  my  place?  If 
not  that,  as  far  as  revealing  murder  is  concerned,  the 
form  of  the  thumb,  the  lines  of  the  hand,  and  the  signs 
in  the  palm  are  absolutely  trustworthy  and  infallible. 

But  let  me  take  another  example,  simple,  and  erf 
more  common  occurrence.  For  centuries  past  the 
following  signs  have  been  held  as  warnings  of  sudden 
death.  I have  never  known  them  to  fail,  and  eight 
times  my  own  examination  of  hands  of  subjects  in 
apparently  the  best  of  health  has  been  verified  by  the 


A DEFENSE  OF  PALMISTRY 


15 


untoward  event  happening  just  as  prognosticated. 
Here  are  those  signs : 

1.  The  Line  of  Life  ceasing  abruptly,  with  deep, 
black  spots  on  it. 

2.  The  Line  of  Heart  beginning  suddenly  (without 
ramifications)  under  the  mount  of  Saturn,  or, 

3.  In  both  hands  the  Line  of  Heart  joined  to  the 
Line  of  Head  under  the  mounts  of  Jupiter  or  Saturn. 

4.  One  short  line  traced  in  each  phalanx  of  each 
finger. 

course,  all  this  needs  some  explanation  and  it  will 
' be  forthcoming  in  due  time.  I simply  want  to  say 
here  that  since  Hartlieb^s  great  work,  published  in 
Augsburg  in  1475,  these  signs  have  been  proved,  actu- 
ally proved,  to  announce  sudden  death,  and  are  '"not 
found”  in  hands  whose  possessors  do  not  succumb  to 
some  such  catastrophe.  Cardan,  the  famous  Italian 
physician  of  the  sixteenth  century,  remarks  that  out  of 
fifty-five  persons  to  whom  Bartholomew  Codes  pre- 
dicted a sudden  death,  but  two  failed  to  fulfill  his  pre- 
diction. 

Therefore,  I have  the  right  to  say  that  no  denegation 
or  sneer  can  beat  down  this  wall  of  iron — an  actual 


A DEFENSE  OF  PALMISTRY 


There  are  thousands  of  such  examples  forthcoming; 
you’ll  find  them,  all  through  these  pages;  you’ll  be 
able  to  verify  them  at  once.  For  instance,  past  mar- 
riages, past  illnesses,  past  financial  losses  are  clearly 
marked  in  the  hand.  Look  at  your  own  hand  and 
jiidge  for  yourself.  Conviction  came  to  me  in  that 
wise,  years  and  years  ago.  Why  should  it  not  come  to 
you?  If  you  are  honest  to  yourself,  it  will. 

I find  it  difficult  to  understand  why,  among  the 
so-called  wise  men  of  this  generation,  hand  reading, 
based  as  it  is,  not  on  mere  theories  more  or  less  disput- 
able, but  on  actual  facts  and  daily  observations,  does 
not  receive  the  respectful  treatment  granted  by  these 
same  men  to  other  similar  sciences  aiming  at  revealing 
the  character,  the  dispositions,  the  past,  and  often  the 
future  of  our  fellow  beings. 

In  other  words,  why  is  Palmistry  considered  as  a 
mere  plaything  when  indulged  in  by  amateurs,  and  as  a 
dangerous  humbug  when  practised  as  a profession, 
while  Physiognomy,  illustrated  by  Lavater,  or  Phren- 
ology,  with  Gall  and  Spurzheim  as  its  exponents,  or 
Graphology,  yet  in  its  infancy,  receives  from  the  lead- 
ers of  modern  thought  considerate  treatment  and 
exhaustive  investigation?  Is  not  Physiognomy  a most 


A DEFENSE  OF  PALMISTRY 


19 


In  the  book  of  Job,  chapter  xxxvii.,  v.  7, 1 read: 

sealeth  up  the  hand  of  every  man,  that  all  men 
may  know  his  work/' 

In  Revelation,  chapter  xiv.,  v.  9: 

* * * “And  receive  his  mark  on  his  forehead, 

or  in  his  hand/' 

In  Proverbs,  chapter  iii.,  v.  16: 

'‘Length  of  days  are  in  her  right  hand;  riches  and 
honor  in  her  left/' 

In  1.  Samuel,  chapter  xxvi.,  v.  18: 

"What  evil  is  in  my  hand?” 

And  so  forth,  and  so  forth.  I have  a list  of  a dozen 
more. 

In  fact,  until  the  pontificate  of  Sextus  V.  (1585)  the 
Christian  Church  found  no  harm  in  palmistry,  and 
several  of  its  priests  were  no  mean  adepts  of  the 
ancient  science.  If  the  Church  rose  in  its  power 
against  chiromancy  the  cause  of  this  change  must  be 
solely  ascribed  to  the  pagan  Gypsies  having  made  the 
art  to  some  extent  their  own  and  bringing  it  into  the 
worst  repute ; the  papal  bull  says  so  explicitly. 

A Treasure  of  Rare,  Old  Books. 

And  now,  if  I look  over  my  library  and  over  the 
many  extracts  I have  made  of  works  that  are  treasured 


20 


A DEFENSE  OF  PALMISTRY 


in  British,  French,  German  and  Italian  repositories  of 
ancient  lore,  I find  parchment  manuscripts,  black  let- 
ter books,  sixteenth,  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  cen- 
tury volumes,  all  signed  by  men  who  have  left  their 
mark  as  scholars,  inventors  and  discoverers  in  the  field 

r 

of  letters  or  science;  Aristotle,  Hartlieb,  Codes,  Tri- 
cassi,  Rathmannus,  Indagine,  Peruccio,  Rouphyle, 
Francoine,  Sider,  Lutz,  Fabricius,  Bulwer,  Penachel, 
Spandon  and  many,  many  others,  including  Cardan 
and  Albertus  Magnus.  Then  I reach  our  own  nine- 
teenth century,  and  those  three  names  loom  above  all 
others;  D^Arpentigny,  the  old  officer  of  Napoleon 
and  the  apostle  of  chirognomy;  Desbarrolles,  the  inde- 
fatigable student  and  exponent  of  the  arch-science: 
and  the  pupil  of  both,  a man  of  lucid  brains  and  cour- 
ageous opinions,  the  late  K,  R.  Craig  of  London — an 
M.  A.,  if  you  please,  of  one  of  the  famed  English 
universities. 

All  these  men — only  a few  in  a crowd — ^have  pub- 
licly expressed  their  views,  explained  them  in  their 
own  way,  given  to  the  world  the  results  of  numberless 
experiments.  Generation  after  generation  has  re- 
examined, controlled,  thoroughly  ventilated  the  state- 
ments of  those  that  preceded  it,  and  the  spirit  of  our 


A DEFENSE  OF  PALMISTRY 


21 

time,  so  obstinately  dissatisfied  with  half  truths,  has 
delved  even  deeper  into  this  ‘'arcanum/’  until  it  did 
reach  “terra  firma.”  Progress  has  manifested  itself  in 
palmistry,  as  it  has  done  in  alchemy — ^the  mother  of 
the  ever  fertile  chemistry  of  to-day — as  it  has  done  in 
astrology,  the  precursor  of  that  most  exact  of  sciences, 
astronomy.  In  our  case,  the  name  needed  no  change; 
the  “reading  of  the  whole  hand”  has  emerged — thanks 
to  d’Arpentigny— from  the  more  restricted  “chiro- 
mancy,” and  if  a few  old  mythological  words  have  been 
preserved  for  simplicity’s  sake,  as  they  express  so 
much  in  a few  letters,  modern  “chirosophy”  is  freed 
nowadays  from  most  of  the  useless  verbiage  of  past 
centuries,  and  ofifers  itself  in  its  clear,  concise,  essen- 
tially plain  language  to  the  attention  of  “all  who  care 
to  know.” 

And  now  let  me  close  this  introduction  with  this 
quotation  from  Balzac,  the  greatest  writer  of  psycho- 
logical fiction  that  ever  lived,  and,  with  Shakespeare, 
one  of  the  poles  around  which  moves  the  literature  of 
modern  times. 

“If  God  has  printed  the  destiny  of  each  man  on  his 
physiognomy — taking  this  word  to  mean  the  total 
expression  of  the  body — why  should  not  the  hand  give 


22 


A DEFENSE  OF  PALMISTRY 


the  characteristics  of  the  physiognomy,  since  the  hand 
represents  human  action  in  its  entirety,  and  its  only 
mode  of  manifesting  it? 


“And  thus  we  attain  to  chiromancy.” 


CHAPTER  ir. 


TEE  MAE  OF  THE  HAND. 

When  examining  the  hand,  for  the  purpose  of 
“reading  it,”  the  following  method  had  better  be  fol- 
lowed. Either  hand  will  do;  the  left  has  for  centuries 
been  the  favorite  of  the  students  of  the  art.  In  doubt- 
ful cases  only,  both  hands  will  have  to  be  looked  into. 
For  the  present,  let  us  suppose  that  I have  one  hand, 
the  left,  open  before  me,  and  allow  me  to  locate  for 
you  the  various  features,  which,  properly  combined 
and  accurately  read,  will  “tell  us  such  wonderful  "tales.  ” 
The  first  object  of  our  attention  must  be  “the  shape 
of  the  hand/’  taken  as  a whole.  It  may  be  wide  or 
narrow,  long  or  short;  it  may  be  soft  and  flabby,  or 
hard  and  resisting;  it  may  be  dry,  it  may  be  moist;  it 
may  be  thrown  back  or  curved  forward.  All  these 
indications  are  essential,  and  there  is  not  a well-taught 

f 

physician  that  will  not  admit,  if  questioned  by  you, 
that  much  of  the  physical  nature  of  a man  or  woman 

(*j) 


MAP  OF  THE  HAND 


can  be  learned  by  this  preliminary  examination.  It 
being  completed,  we  come  to  the  four  fingers,  for  the 
thumb  is  always  treated  separately.  The  study  of  the 
shape  of  these  fingers  plays  a great  part  in  chirosophy; 
it  is  the  branch  which  might  be  called  the  most  mod- 
ern of  all,  and  which  has  been  investigated  with  mar- 
velous thoroughness  and  accuracy  by  Captain  d'Ar- 
pentigny — a scientist,  and  not  a professional  palmist 
He  gave  to  this  particular  domain,  which  he  made 
truly  his  own,  the  name  of  ^‘chirognomy/^  the  exact 
equivalent  of  the  word  ^^physiognomy’^  applied  to  the 
lineaments  of  the  face. 

In  the  fingers  we  shall  consider  three  different  feat* 
ures:  ^The  form  of  the  nailed  phalanx” — ^v/hether  it 
is  pointed  or  conical,  or  square . or  spatulate  (widened 
in  the  form  of  a druggist’s  spatula).  After  that,  we 
:-hall  look  at  the  development  of  the  joints,  two  on 
each  finger — whether  they  are  normal,  extra  thick  or 
extra  thin.  Finally  the  length  of  each  phalanx  and 
the  length  of  each  finger  in  proportion  to  the  other 
fingers  in  the  same  hand  will  call  for  our  careful  atten- 
tion. We  come  now  to  the  special  study  of  the  thumb, 
this  surprisingly  clever  little  member  of  which  it  has 
been  said:  ‘The  hand  denotes  the  superior  animal, 


l^ntai  Order/ 


Material  Order  ^ 


Passion 


?f  lie"  Rascette 

FIG.  1.  THE  MAP  OF  THB  MANO. 


A 


I 


$ 


MAP  OF  THE  HAND 


the  thumb  individualizes  the  man/'  In  the  thumb  we 
only  distinguish  two  phalanges,  the  nailed  one  and  the 
one  next  to  it.  The  third  phalanx,  in  Palmistry,  is 
considered  as  belonging  to  the  palm  proper.  The 
shape  of  the  thumb  may  be  truthfully  declared  to  be 
one  of  the  surest  and  most  complete  indications  of  its 
possessor's  temperament  and  disposition.  When  I 
shaH  have  given  you  the  few  points  concerning  it — ^ 
with  full  illustrations — you  just  examine  as  many 
thumbs  as  you  can  and  it  will  not  take  you  a week  to 
admit  the  exactness  of  my  statements  in  that  respect. 

We  have  examined,  in  the  Map  of  the  Hand  submit- 
ted to  you  in  this  article,  all  that  concerns  ‘'Chirog- 
nomy."  Now  I reach  the  more  mysterious,  but  no 
lei&s  easily  fathomed  realm  of  ''Chiromancy" — or 
"hand  reading"  proper.  A few  old-fashioned  names 
are  used  here,  with  which  you  must  become  familiar, 
right  at  the  start,  and  which,  as  you’ll  quickly  realize, 
simplify  matters  considerably.  Names  have  to  be 
found  for  those  various  Mounts  and  Lines;  it  is  just  as 
well  to  preserve  those  which  tradition  has  transmitted 
to  us,  even  if  we  do  not  admit  as  true  their  peculiar 
astrological  or  cabalistic  meanings. 

On  the  inside  of  every  hand,  a little  below  where  the 


if 


„d  MAP  OF  THE  HAND 

fingers  connect  with  the  palm,  you  will  always  notice 
slight  swellings,  sometimes  quite  prominent;  these 
swellings  are  called  Mounts  and  are  eight  in  number. 
They  are: 

The  mount  of  Jupiter,  placed  below  the  index  finger. 

The  mount  of  Saturn,  placed  below  the  medius. 

The  mount  of  the  Sun,  placed  below  the  ring-finger. 

The  mount  of  Mercury,  placed  below  the  little 
finger. 

The  mounT  of  Venus,  occupying  the  whole  of  the 
third  phalanx  of  the  thumb. 

The  three  other  mounts  are  located  on  the  edge  of 
the  hand: 

The  mount  of  Mars  is  double,  and  counts  for  two; 
one  is  near  the  Percussion  (or  striking  part  of  the 
hand),  just  below  the  mount  of  Mercury;  the  other, 
• just  opposite,  under  the  mount  of  Jupiter. 

The  mount  of  the  Moon  occupies  the"  whole  space 
between  the  mount  of  Mars  and  the  wrist,  along  the 
Percussion. 

The  development  or  absence  of  these  mounts;  the 
lines  that  cross  them,  or  start  or  stop  in  their  vicinity; 
finally  the  various  signs  that  are  found  marked  upon 


MAP  OF  THE  HAND 


29 


th«ii,  play  a decided  part  in  hand  reading;  in  fact,  this 
is  one  of  the  essential  components  of  the  art. 

From  the  Mounts  to  the  I.ines,  and  our  preliminary 
examination  of  the  hand  will  come  to  an  end.  These 
lines  are  ‘^twice  seven’’  in  number;  the  first  seven  are 
by  far  the  more  important  and  the  more  frequently 
found  in  the  average  hand.  They  are: 

. ^ The  Line  of  Life. 

The  Line  of  Heart. 

The  Line  of  Head. 

The  Line  of  Fate. 

5.  The  Line  of  the  Sun. 

The  Line  of  Liver. 

Jli-'  The  Line  of  Marriage. 

The  second  set  of  seven  lines  are  called  “secondary,” 
and  are  neither  so  frequent  nor  so  important.  They 
are:  * 


1.1 


- 2. 
3, 
.4. 
5. 


6. 


•S'. 


" The  Three  Bracelets,  forming  the  Rascette. 

The  Line  of  Mars. 

The  Girdle  of  Venus. 

The  Via  Lasciva. 

The  Line  of  Intuition. 


30 


MAP  OF  THE  HAND 


I have  given  you  now,  in  these  few  pages,  a first 
idea  of  the  field  we  are  to  travel  over  together. 
Remember  that  I am  the  teacher,  and  you  the  pupils. 
Now,  the  first  quality  of  the  ''good”  pupil  is  to  trust 
the  teacher  and  his  methods;  the  second  quality  is  to 
be  patient.  It  is  only  by  gradual  examination  that 
everything  in  hand  reading  will  appear  to  you  simple, 
clear,  easy  to  retain. 

By  hurrying  on,  no  good  rosrults  are  obtainable. 
Besides,  I must  try,  in  every  lesson,  to  give  you  some 
facts,  the  details  of  some  personal  experience,  so  as 
to  keep  your  interest  alive  and  add  to  your  faith  in  this 
grand  science.  There  will  be  plenty  of  illustrations 
thrown  in  as  we  go  along — over  fifty  in  these  two  hun- 
dred and  odd  pages.  No  work  on  the  subject  contains 
one-half  that  number.  And  these  pictures  will  render 
every  statement  easy  to  verify  on  the  spot  and  leave  in 
your  mind  an  indelible  impression. 

I have  no  doubt  that  when  we  shall  have  reached  the 
final  chapter  every  student  who  has  begun  reading 
this  conscientious  treatise  with  an  honest  desire  of 
finding  "what  there  is  in  it,”  and  who,  as  he  reads  on, 
shall  have  endeavo-red  to  gather  information  of  his  or 
her  own,  through  persistent  hand-examining  among 


MAP  OF  THE  HAND  • 


31 


relatives  and  friends — all  too  glad,  if  I know  human 
nature,  to  lend  their  hands  to  such  a survey — I have 
no  doubt  that  every  reader  will  have  become  by  that 
time  the  author’s  kind — perhaps  grateful — friend  as 
well  as  a thorough  believer  in  what  I know,  in  my  very 
soul,  to  be  the  truth. 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE  CHIROGNOMY  OF  THE  HAND. 

THE  HAND--THE  PALM— THE  FINGERS— THE 
FINGER-TIPS. 

The  department  in  the  science  of  Chirosophy  to 
which  I shall  devote  four  whole  chapters,  is  one 
that  needs  no  great  effort  of  the  brain  and  no  retentive 
memory  to  be  preserved  in  the  reader’s  mind  for  future 
reference.  As  I stated  before,  ‘‘Chirogtlomy”  busies 
itself,  not  with  the  Lines  of  the  hand,  but  simply  with 
the  shape  and  size  of  the  fingers  and  thumb  and  with 
the  form  and  consistency  of  the  palm.  Captain 
d’Arpentigny,  one  of  the  heroes  of  the  Napoleonic 
war,  was  the  first  to  co-ordinate  in  book  form  the  hun- 
dreds of  facts  and  experiments  that  render  this  study 
such  an  effective  adjunct  to  the  older  science  of  '‘Chi- 
romancy.” It  is,  in  many  respects,  nearer  "Physiog- 
nomy” than  any  other  branch  of  Chirosophy.  It  has 
no  pretensions  to  reveal  the  past  or  prognosticate  the 

(32) 


THE  CHIROGNOMY  OF  THE  HAND  33 

future,  but  for  the  divination  of  character  and  disposi- 
tions, and  the  prophesying  of  logical  developments  in 
the  days  to  come,  Chirognomy  has  no  equal  among 
the  so-called  occult  sciences.  And  again  I beg  leave  to 
state  that  I do  not  pretend  to  trace  those  startling 
revelations  back  to  any  theory  or  doctrine.  They 
stand  by  themselves  as  the  solidly  proved  and  repeated 
experiments  of  trustworthy  men  and  are  to  be  accepted 
just  as  they  are,  subject  only  to  such  verifications  as 
my  readers  may  at  any  time  indulge  in  when  examin- 
ing hands,  palms  and  fingers.  One  point,  however, 
has  to  be  held  in  remembrance  whenever  basing  a 
chirosophic  verdict  upon  chirognomic  observations 
‘^only,’’  and  that  is  that  the  shape  of  hand  and  fingers 
is  largely  hereditary,  while  the  lines  and  other  signs  in 
the  palm,  the  reading  of  which  constitutes  ^^Chiro- 
mancy’’ proper,  have  never  been  proved  to  be  trans- 
mitted through  parentage.  Therefore  it  would  be  a 
decided  mistake  to  limit  one’s  investigations  to  this 
separate  department  of  the  great  science  I am  endeav- 
oring to  teach  you  now.  In  its  proper  place  and  with- 
in due  bounds,  Chirognomy  is  of  infinite  use  in  reading 
character,  and  on  that  account  has  to  be  taught, 
learned  and  applied. 


34 


THE  CHIROGNOMY  OF  THE  HAND 


The  reader  may  like  to  know  that  since  Captain  C. 
d’Arpentigny's  first  book  was  published,  in  1843,  other 
earnest  students  have  enlarged  and  completed  his  dis- 
coveries. ril  name  a few  of  these  works  in  the  Enp*-* 

o 

lish  language  which  confirm  every  one  of  the  state- 
ments contained  in  this  brief,  although  complete,  expo- 
sition of  the  truths  of  chirognomy.  The  authors  I have 
reference  to  are  R.  Beamish  in  his  '^Physiognomy  of 
the  Hand”  (1865);  C.  Warren  in  his  "Twenty-five 
Life  sized  Outlines  of  the  Hands  of  Celebrated  Peo- 
ple” (1882);  and  R.  Baughan  in  "Indications  and  Apti- 
tudes Manifested  by  the  Forrr!  and  Texture  of  the 
Thumb  and  Fingers”  (1884).  »Mr.  E.  <|^ron-Allen 
has  also  published  a learned,  aliiotated  ^nsla^lhi  of 
d’Arpentigny’s  great  book.  And  now  Fll  start  the  ball 
rolling  by  presenting  a series  of  observations  concern- 
ing the  size  and  consistency  of  tfi(  hand. 

/ As  I remarked  before,  when  writing  on  the  fingers 
in  general,  "large  hands”  are  the  hands  of  people  fond 
) of  very  fine  work,  or  intent  upon  th^  minutiae  of  life; 
j they  generally  write  a small  hand;  ^re  great  sticklers 
for  etiquette;  are  easify  offended  by  little  breaches  of 
^courtesy. 


THE  HAND  IN  GENERAL 


35 


‘'Small  hands”  belong  to  people  with  just  the  oppo- 
site characteristics;  they  write  a large  hand;  look  at 
things  in  a broad,  quickly  satisfied  manner;  are  easily 
pleased  and  slowly  offended;  are  not  fond  of  delicate 
work  and  prefer  the  bustle  of  life  to  its  smaller  duties. 

Of  course  you  have  constantly  to  bear  in  mind  that 
the  size  of  the  hand  must  be  judged  only  in  proportion 
to  the  rest  of  the  body;  as  the  large  hand  of  a small 
man  might  be  a very  small  one  for  a large  man.  It  is 
particularly  in  reference  to  wome#s  hands  that  this 
relation  between  body  and  h^d  ought  to  be  observed. 

The  hand,  besides,  is  divided  into  two  regions, 
‘'the  palm”  and  the  fingers.”  Taking  them  both 
together,  and  examining  their  "consistency,”  I will 
say  that: 

"The  soft  hand”  is  that  of  the  poetical  temperament; 
it  belongs  to  the  subject  who  is  ruled  by  imagination, 
nerves — often  senses.  Hence  it  is  more  frequently  the 
woman’s  hand. 

"If  soft  to  flabbiness,”  all  the  above  ^j^racteristics^ 
are  increased  to  the  danger  point ; it  beeves  the  hand 
of  the  lazy,  ^ volup^ary,  the  utterly  selfish  and 
heartless,  a natural  consequence,  the  hand  of 


'\ 


36 


THE  HAND  IN  GENERAL 


the  traitor  and  the  thief.  Its  possessor  has  a glib 
^ tongue  and  a brain  ever  active  in  evil  ways.  It  is  the 
V Jiand  of  the  anarchist. 

The  ''hard  hand”  denotes  a practical  and  generally 
I unimaginative  nature.  If  the  hardness  is  not  exag- 
i gerated  it  is  the  sign  of  a straightforward  disposition, 
J fond  of  activity  and  even  hard  work.  Its  owner  \will 
i not  be  demonstrative  in  his  affections,  but  remain 
steadfast  and  reliable;  he  will  stand  much  hardship 
\ courageously. 

As  we  grow  older  our  hands  generally  grow  harder, 
less  supple  and  dryer.  Just  in  that  proportion  do  our 
imaginations,  our  loving  qualities  diminish  and  lose 
their  power  over  our  lives.  Thus,  in  examining  the 
hand’s  consistency,  never  forget  to  take  the  subject’s 
age  into  consideration. 

"An  exceedingly  hard  hand”  will  show  lack  of  intel- 
" ligence,  brutality,  an  indifference  to  pain  in  others  as 
well  as  in  one’s  self. 

Examining  the  palm  alone  we  find  that  if 
^ "The  palm  is  thin,  skinny  and  narrow,”  it  indicates 
timidity,  meanness  and  poverty  of  intellect;  also  a lack  ^ 
^ of  energy,  either  active  or  passive. 

*^A  very  thick  palm,  in  a soft  hand:”  Sensuality# 


THE  PALM  OF  THE  HAND 


material,  gross  instincts;  also  over-confidence  and  sel- 
fishness. 

"'A  very  thick  palm,  in  a hard  hand,  witn  short  fing- 
ers:” Type  of  the  primitive  hand;  that  of  the  unskilled 
laborer,  who  will  never  improve  his  condition;  and 
with  a bad  thumb,  the  hand  of  the  brutal  criminal. 

‘‘A  very  hollow  palm”  is  invariably  a sign  of  failure 
in  money  matters  and  all  important  circumstances  of 
^life. 

A few  modern  chirosophists  insist  that  if  ^^the  hollow 
in  the  palm”  inclines  toward  the  Line  of  Life  (see  the 
Map  of  the  Hand)  it  prophesies  domestic  trouble. 

‘Tf  this  hollow  leans  toward  the  Line  of  Fate”  it 
foretells  money  losses  and  business  troubles. 

^Tf  this  hollow  leans  toward  the  Line  of  the  Head:” 
probable  brain  trouble  or  apoplexy. 

These  observations  I have  not  yet  thoroughly  veri- 
fied, but  they  seem  logical  enough. 

I reach  now  the  fingers,  and,  as  I said  before,  by 
‘‘fingers”  I mean  the  four  fingers  of  each  hand,  but  not 
tlie  thumb,  which  has  a history  and  furnishes  prog- 
nostics of  its  own. 

I shall  begin  with  a series  of  observations  concern- 
ing the  fingers  in  general. 


/ 


?8  THE  FINGERS  IN  GENERAL 

✓ 

“r.ong  fingers” — Love  of  details,  exactness  i»  all 
small  matters;  worries  over  little,  unimportant  thi»igs; 
often  belong  to  people  troubled  with  affectation  in 
I their  speech  and  manner,  but  easily  put  out  by  adverse 

I 

treatment.  They  are,  in  a bad  hand,  a sign  of  deceit- 
fulness and  cowardice. 

‘'Short  fingers” — Neglect  of  details,  tendency  to 
take  things  for  granted  and  not  to  examine  them 
\ cicsely  enough;  belong  often  to  people  rather  bohe- 
^ mian  in  dress  and  habits  and  making  up  their  minds 
j rather  hastily,  expressing  themselves  without  taking 
time  enough  to  think. 

“Thick  and  shoit  fingers” — In  a hand  which  is 
not  of  the  primitive  type — that  of  the  common  laborer 
— denote  selfishness  and  sometimes  cruelty. 

“Thick  and  puffy  at  the  base”— Are  the  character- 
istic of  fingers  that  belong  to  selfish  persons,  overforxd 
of  the  good  things  of  life,  great  eaters,  drinkers,  etc. 

“Fingers-,  wasp-shaped  at  the  base” — ^between  the 
root  and  the  second  phalanx — Unselfishness  and  also 
close  attention  to  cleanliness,  daintiness  of  food,  etc. 

“Curved  inward” — Excess  of  prudence,  even  to  pol- 
Iroonry;  often  stubbornness  and  sometimes  avarice. 

^/‘Easily  curved  backward” — Good,  pleasant  com- 


THE  FIRST  FINGER 


m 

pany,  but  gossipy  and  inquisitive  to  excess;  often 
extravagant  in  money  matters. 

‘Twisted  and  malformed  fingers’^ — Natural"  cru^ 
elty,  even  to  murder. 

“Smooth  and  transparent  fingers” — Lack  of  dis- 
cretion and  love  of  useless  talking;  the  “chatterbox’s” 
hand. 

“Fingers  too  close  to  each  other” — Avaricious 
disposition. 

“Fingers  showing  openings  between  them” — In- 
temperate curiosity. 

I will  also  give  here  complete  notes  concerning 
each  finger  separately. 

The  First  Finger,  or  Index. 

“Short” — Love  of  activity;  the  subject  is  apt  to  take  ' 
sudden  decisions. 

“Abnormally  long” — A tendency  to  rule  and  even 
tyrannize  over  others  (often  found  in  the  hands  of 
statesmen  and  clergymen).  In  a bad  hand;  excessive 
vanity;  with  other  bad  signs:  sensuality. 

“Long,  with  pointed  tip” — Religious  exaltation; 
superstition. 

“Of  average  length  with  square  tip” — Censtant 


40 


THE  SECOND  FINGER 


quest  for  truth,  a truth  that  can  stand  close  exatt^^a- 
tion  and  is  never  intolerant. 

‘‘Of  average  length  with  spatulate  tip” — ^Tendency 
to  superstition;  blind  belief  in  new  creeds. 

“With  a long  first  phalanx” — The  gift  of  intuition* 

“With  a long  second  phalanx” — Ambition. 

“With  a long  third  phalanx”  — Domineering 
pride. 

“Equal  to  or  Longer  than  the  Second  Finger’’ — 
Life  ruled  by  ambition;  Napoleon  I.  had  both  fingers 
the  same  size. 

The  Second  (or  Middle)  Finger. 

“Long  and  flat” — Melancholy  even  to  morbid 
fancies. 

“Long  and  twisted”~Murderous  instincts. 

“Long  and  pointed  (very  raje)” — Selfishness  and 
indifference  to  worries. 

“Long  and  square” — Disposition  grave  even  to 
sternness. 

“Long  and  Spatulate” — Plenty  of  imagination  but  a 
rather  somber  way  of  understanding  art,  literature, 
music,  etc.  Love  of  animals,  principally  horses. 

“With  a long  first  phalanx” — Sadness  and  supersti- 
tion ; “very  long” — disposition  to  suicide. 


\ 


THE  THIRD  FINGER 


4: 


^Wlth  a long  second  phalanx” — Love  of  agricul- 
tural or  mechanical  occupations. 

‘‘With  a long  and  broad  third  phalanx” — ^Avaricious 
disposition. 

“Its  tip  inclined  toward  the  first  finger” — Fatalism 
modified  by  self-confidence. 

“Its  tip  inclined  toward  the  third  finger” — Fatalism 
dominated  by  the  love  of  nature  or  the  fine  arts. 


The  Third  (or  Ring)  Finger. 


“Short  and  without  distinct  type  of  tip” — Mercen- 
ary in  art  productions. 

“Pointed  at  the  tip” — Intuition  in  all  art  matters. 

“Pointed  at  the  tip  when  the  other  fingers  have  not 
pointed  tips” — Frivolity. 

“Square  at  the  tip” — Art  loved  and  practiced  only 
for  the  money  there  is  in  it. 

“Spatulate  at  the  Tip” — Love  of  action  in  art  or  its 
presentments;  peculiar  to  painters  of  historical  pic- 
tures, to  sculptors  and  especially  actors. 

“With  a long  first  phalanx” — Abundant  artistic 
inspiration. 

“With  a long  second  phalanx” — Industry  in  art; 
common  sense  blended  with  talent. 

“With  a long  and  broad  third  phalanx” — ^A  dis- 


42 


THE  FOURTH  FINGER 


tinct  disposition  to  turn  one’s  art  into  money;  petty 
vanity  instead  of  honest  pride. 

‘‘Almost  the  same  length  as  the  first  finger’"' — 
Intense  thirst  for  fame  and  for  riches  associated  with 
reputation. 

“Almost  as  long  as  the  second  finger” — The  true 
gambler’s  finger;  not  always  a gamester,  but  one  who 
depends  on  chance  more  than  personal  efforts  for  his 
share  of  success  in  life. 

The  Fourth  (or  Little)  Finger. 

“Long  (reaching  almost  or  quite  to  the  nail  of  the 
third  finger)” — Intense  love  of  improving  one’s  mind 
or  talents.  Versatility  and  ease  in  conversation;  power 
of  influencing  others. 

“Very  short” — Quick  perception  of  things  and 
promptness  in  reasoning  them  out. 

‘‘Pointed  at  the  tip” — Intuition  in  all  studies,  per- 
spicacity (in  a bad  hand:  cunning,)  facile  eloquence 
though  superficial. 

“Square  at  the  tip” — Logic,  common  sense,  close 
and  true  reasoning,  speech  ready,  simple  and  to  the 
point. 

“Spatukte  at  the  tip” — Aptness  for  mechanics; 
strong  eloquence;  great  power  to  elucidate  difficult 
scientific  problems. 


THE  FINGER  TIPS 


43 


'‘With  a long  first  phalanx'' — Love  of  science  and 
eloquence. 

“With  a long  second  phalanx" — Industry  and  com- 
mercial capacity. 

“With  a long  third  phalanx" — Perspicacity, 
shrewdness  and  (in  a bad  hand)  cunning  and  lying. 

“Almost  as  long  as  the  third  finger" — A philosopher 
and  a savant;  (in  a bad  hand)  a deceiver  and  a cheat. 

“Almost  as  long  as  the  second  finger  (very  rare)"— 
A sure  sign  that  the  scientific  powers  are  such  as  to 
triumph  over  all  obstacles. 

After  the  palm,  the  fingers  in  general,  and  each 
finger  in  particular,  we  reach  in  natural  sequence 

The  Finger  Tips. 

which  d'Arpentigny  considers  the  most  important  ele- 
ment in  his  superb  and  solidly  built  science  of  Chirog- 
nomy. 

According  to  him  Finger  Tips  are  either: 

1.  Pointed. 

2.  Conical. 

3.  Square. 

4.  Spatulate. 

Sometimes,  very  often,  the  tips  of  all  the  fingers  in 
It  hand  do  not  conform  to  one  type.  In  that  case  the 


44 


THE  POINTED  FINGERS 


rules  that  apply  to  each  type  when  complete  and  uni- 
form are  modified  accordingly.  I have  already  fur- 
nished you  with  full  details  concerning  these  strag- 
glers. Just  now  we  will  suppose  that  in  the  hands  we 
are  looking  at  (illustrations  of  which  are  given  herein) 
all  the  tips  belong  to  one  and  the  same  type. 

The  Pointed  Fingers. 

The  rarest  and  finest  hand  of  all  is  the  hand  with 
'^pointed’’  fingers;  they  are  almost  always  the  natural 
complement  of  a thin,  delicate,  flexible  palm,  of  a 
finely  shaped  thumb,  and  the  knots  on  the  fingers  are 
hardly  if  at  all  noticeable. 


These  are  the  attributes  of  the  dreamer,  the  poet,  the 
idealist,  of  an  artist,  a composer,  a philosopher.  Here 
the  soul  rules  over  matter  and  has  but  contempt  for 


THE  POINTED  FINGERS 


45 


the  wretched  necessities  and  meannesses  of  an  earthly 
existence.  You  see  how  seldom  such  a hand  is  to  be 
found — and  also  how  unhappy  in  a world  like  ours  its 
owner  is  sure  to  be.  He  is  ^‘in’^  the  world,  but  not 
''of”  the  world. 

They  are  the  fingers  of  the  ardent,  blind  fanatics,  of 
the  early  Christian  martyrs,  of  the  Moslem  conquer- 
ors, of  the  royalist  rebels  during  the  horrible  days  of 
the  French  terror.  They  are  found  in  the  mysterious 
convents  where  breathes  yet  the  intense  religious 
idealism  of  the  middle  ages. 

When  the  "fingers  are  pointed  to  exaggeration” 
they  denote  a tendency  toward  semi-insanity,  ecstasies, 
weird  fancies,  melancholia  and  often  deceitfulness  that 
is  almost  independent  of  the  subject’s  free  will.  Adepts 
of  the  occult  sciences,  such  as  are  found  in  the  extreme 
Orient,  men  of  intense  self-absorption  and  renuncia- 
tion of  the  habits  common  to  all  human  races,  are 
always  men  with  extraordinarily  pointed  fingers,  trans- 
parent palms  and  narrow  thumbs.  As  you  see,  this 
type  has  its  grand  features  as  well  as  their  dangerous 
counterparts,  but,  after  all,  from  their  owners  have 
come  almost  all  that  has  raised  the  level  of  humanity 
and  taken  it  far  above  its  original  ancestor — the  brute- 


i6 


THE  CONICAL  FINGERS 


Next  to  it  in  importance,  and,  happily,  as  frequent 
almost  as  the  “pointed"’  finge-rs  are  rare,  come 
The  Conical  Fingers. 

2.  Here  the  fingers  instead  of  gradually  coming  to 
a point,  without  knots,  from  the  third  to  the  first 
(nailed)  phalanx,  keep  about  even  in  thickness  up  to 
the  third  phalanx,  and  there  only  assume  a semi- 
pointed  tip,  or  cone.  They  are  thicker  than  the 
pointed  fingers,  and  so  is  the  palm  that  goes  with 
them. 


The  possessor  of  “conical  fingers”  with  a well 
formed  thumb— for  this  characteristic  is  essential  in 
every  observation  of  this  kind — will  be  ruled  by 
impulse  rather  than  calculation.  Hence  it  is  the 


THE  CONICAL  FINGERS 


47 


fvoman^s  hand  ‘^par  excellence;’’  although  I expect 
the  new  woman  to  develop  a radically  different  type 
of  hand. 

The  owner  of  ^"conical  fingers”  is  attracted  by  beau- 
tiful ideas,  beautiful  things,  lovely  landscapes,  great 
books  or  works  of  art,  noble  causes  and  disinterested 
feelings.  He  is  changeable,  though,  in  his  moods, 
passing  from  the  acme  of  felicity  to  the  lowest  depth 
of  despond.  He  is  not  made  for  a humdrum  exist- 
ence, and  in  married  life  is  often  a failure.  He  is 
warm,  generous,  inconstant. 

The  more  accentuated  the  conical  tip,  the  less  self- 
possession  exists  in  the  subject,  the  more  he  is  influ- 
enced by  his  passions — of  a higher  order  it  is  true, 
but  still  at  variance  with  the  rules  and  necessities  of 
life. 

The  extremes  of  this  type  are  found  to  be  laziness, 
sensuality,  incapacity  of  concentration,  a general  frit- 
tering away  of  life’s  most  precious  years — in  other 
words,  an  ill-balanced,  useless  existence.  The  lines 
will  tell  us  the  '‘facts”  which  are  simply  foreshadowed 
in  the  fingers  as  "possibilities.”  I come  now  to  a 
type  of  hand  that  proves  every  day  how  useful,  bene- 
ficent and  thoroughly  desirable  it  is,  and  its  fingers  are 


4&  THE  SQUARE  FINGERS 

The  Square  Fingers. 

3.  Here  the  first  (nailed)  phalanx  is  ‘^square’^  not 
only  on  its  upper  face,  but  on  all  four  distinct  sides. 
The  palm  will  be  of  medium  thickness,  slightly  hollow 
and  firm;  the  thumb  will  be  comparatively  large,  and 
on  the  fingers  both  knots  will  be  clearly  in  evidence. 


The  characteristics  that  accompany  this  hand  are: 
perseverance,  foresight,  order,  regularity.  It  is  the 
hand  of  the  thorough  business  man,  greater  in  execu- 
tion than  in  conception;  the  hand  of  the  progressive, 
law-abiding  citizen;  of  the  steady  plodder,  not  the 
speculator.  Its  owner  is  apt  to  be  rather  strict  in  his 
methods,  exacting  as  much  from  others  as  he  exacts 
from  himself;  insisting  on  punctuality,  neatness,  cor- 
rection in  every  detail;  he  is  a model  bookkeeper,  a 


THE  SQUARE  FINGERS  49 

cashier  of  integrity  and  as  ‘"good  pay”  as  he  expects 
to  be  paid  promptly. 

The  possessors  of  these  fingers  are  good  shots,  lov- 
ers of  athletic  sports,  as  a recreation  not  an  occupa- 
tion ; they  are  fond  of  reading  books  of  history,  travels, 
political  economy,  or  novels  with  a clear,  logical  pur- 
pose. Poetry  of  the  higher  order  attracts  them  not. 
They  take  very  little  on  trust  and  are  apt  to  reason 
even  their  religion.  They  are  good  diplomats  and 
not  over-scrupulous  when  their  object  is  clearly  in 
view.  Flattery  only  influences  them  when  it  empha- 
sizes their  real  qualities.  Otherwise  they  are  shrewd, 
suspicious,  practical  from  the  word  ‘‘go.”  Their 
affections  are  generally  in  the  family  circle  exclusively; 
they  love  their  children  better  than  they  do  their  wives 
— with  a sense  of  proprietorship. 

The  extreme  of  that  type  is  cold,  calculating, 
intriguing,  decided  to  do  anything  and  everything  to 
reach  his  goal;  he  is  selfish  to  a degree,  a sneerer  of 
every  ideal  and  a man  of  the  world  worldly — with  few 
vices  and  less  virtues.  • Withal  he  will  probably  be 
a successful  man.  When  I shall  look  over  the  knots 
on  his  fingers,  in  my  next  chapter  I shall  return  to  this 
hand  and  point  out  some  of  its  varieties.  The  fourth 


50 


THE  SPATULATE  FINGERS 


type  of  finger  tips,  found  more  frequently  in  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States  than  anywhere  else,  is 
that  of 

The  Spatulate  Fingers. 

4.  The  illustration  gives  a clearer  idea  of  that  kind 
of  tip  than  any  words  of  mine  could  supply  you  with. 
“Spatula''  is  that  little  instrument  used  by  druggists 
in  some  of  their  operations  and  the  tip  of  which  is 
.slightly  wider  than  the  body.  In  that  shape  does  the 
nailed  phalanx  end  in  this  type. 


It  is  invariably  the  characteristic  of  action,  energy, 
quick  and  constant  movement.  A hard  palm  is  the 
complement  of  that  kind  of  fingers;  the  thumb  will  be 
large,  and  if  well  shaped  the  prognostics  concerning 
such  a hand  may  be  written  down  as  follows: 

Self-confidence;  a desire  for  abundant  means,  a bare 


THE  SPATULATE  FINGERS  H 

sufficiency  not  being  enough;  but  little  enthusiasm, 
although  sometimes  a great,  noisy  ‘^show  of  enthusi- 
asm.” Fondness  and  aptitude  for  outdoor  sports;  for 
agricultural  occupations;  for  the  mechanical  arts;  for 
mathematics  and  the  theory  of  war;  for  the  plastic 
arts  as  close  reproductions  of  nature;  for  literature  of 
a realistic  character;  for  music  as  executant  rather 
than  composer;  good  at  skilled  manual  labor;  much 
interested  In  his  work  and  understanding  it  rapidly. 
Likes  order,  system,  symmetry.  Rather  arbitrary  and 
fond  of  authority.  The  old  nobles  had  spatulate  fing- 
ers; their  degenerate  descendants  have  not;  the  former 
were  conquerors  and  fighters;  the  latter  are  lazy,  use- 
less members  of  a society  that  does  its  work  without 
them. 

The  possessors  of  spatulate  fingers  are  seldom  ortho- 
dox in  religion;  they  are  forever  discussing  the  creeds 
they  were  educated  in.  Their  hand  is  that  of  the 
reformers,  the  Protestants  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
and  now  that  of  the  liberal,  progressive  branches  of  the 
old  denominations.  When  I examine  the  joints  I 
shall  have  more  to  say  about  this  hand,  which  is 
undoubtedly  that  of  the  makers  of  our  present  civil- 
ization. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  KNOTS— THE  NAILS. 

1 sHall  be  through  with  my  study  of  the  fingers  when 
I shall  have  examined  ‘‘the  knots'’  and  the  ‘‘nails,” 
two  features  of  serious  importance  in  all  “chirog- 
nomic”  work. 

The  fingers  of  all  the  human  hands  past,  present 
and,  doubtless,  future,  are  either  “smooth” — from  the 
palm  to  the  tip — or  “knotted.” 

“Knotted”  here  means  that  the, joints  between  each 
phalanx  bulge  visibly,  while  in  “smooth”  fingers  these 
articulations  are  neither  seen  nor  felt. 

In  a number  of  fingers  “one”  of  the  two  joints  is 
visible,  while  the  “other”  is  not.  We  have,  therefore, 
four  species  of  fingers  to  watch  for  and  examine: 

1.  “Smooth”  fingers. 

2.  Fingers  “with  both  joints  knotted.” 

8.  Fingers  “with  only  the  first  joint  (that  connect* 
ing  the  nailed  and  middle  phalanges)  knotted.” 

4.  Fingers  “with  only  the  second  joint  knotted.” 

(52) 


THE  KNOTS 


6S 


(1)  Smooth  Fingers. 

^^Knots’^  in  general  indicate  thought,  reflection, 
order  in  the  ideas,  method  in  action,  while  smooth 
fingers  are  the  characteristics  of  a mind  guided  by 
impulse,  intuition,  not  by  reason;  their  possessors  will 
often  fail  in  their  undertakings  through  pursuing  them, 
so  to  speak,  blindly,  urged  by  sentiment  or  fancy, 
rather  than  by  actual  knowledge  of  facts.  Strange  to 
say,  however,  they  commit  less  harmful  mistakes  if 
they  obey  this  impulse  than  if  they  attempt  to  change 
their  minds  under  the  influence  of  what  is  called 
‘‘second  thoughts.’’  In  a word,  they  are  not  good  at 
“reasoning,”  while  often  lucky  in  their  “guessing.” 
Useless  to  add  that  women  as  a rule  own  “smooth 
fingers”  and  obey  implicitly  the  dictates  put  down  by 
their  intuition.  Further,  I’ll  insist  on  this  when  I shall 
present  you  “woman’s  typical  hand.” 

As  I do  not  want  to  mix  matters,  I shall  leave  out 
of  my  present  statements  the  bond  which  unites 
these  different  classes  of  fingers  with  the  Mounts  on 
the  palm  and  the  Lines  that  cross  them.  When  I 
reach  those  I shall  call  your  attention  to  the  many 
relations  that  exist  between  smooth  or  knotted  fingers 
and  this  or  that  line.  It  is  another  illustration  of  the 


54 


THE  KNOTS 


truth  I shall  never  be  tired  repeating:  That  any 
^'isolated’’  observation  is  and  will  always  be  valueless 
whenever  an  exact  verdict  is  desired. 

Combining  the  shape  of  the  tips  with  the  absence 
of  knots  we  have: 

Fingers  smooth  and  pointed  or  conical — The  fing- 
ers of  poets,  dreamers,  prophets.  Inability  to  under- 
stand practical  life.  Fondness  for  an  easy,  refined 
existence;  often  frivolity  (stronger  when  ‘'pointed’’). 

Fingers  smooth  and  square — The  dreamers  are 
now  thinkers.  They’ll  excel  in  the  plastic  arts,  as 
musical  composers  or  writers  of  fiction  of  fair  quality, 
or  actors  of  the  better  class. 

Fingers  smooth  and  spatulate — A talent  for  astron- 
omy and  higher  mathematics ; inventors.  The  practi- 
cal instinct  developed. 

(2)  Fingers  With  Both  Joints  Knotted. 

The  features  of  the  “knots”  are  now  at  their  best — 
symmetry,  order,  punctuality.  ‘ Generally  a gift  for 
mechanics,  architecture,  the  exact  sciences;  a fair  mind 
not  easily  biased;  the  hand  of  the  just  judge — strict, 
however,  and  not  easily  influenced  by  sentiment  It 
is  essentially  the  attribute  of  the  people  of  strong  com- 
mon sense.  Of  course,  the  exaggeration  of  these 


THE  KNOTS  65 

desirable  qualities  will  be  a lack  of  imagination,  a con- 
tempt for  ''the  beautiful'’  if  it  is  not  also  "the  useful;’’ 
a want  of  comprehension  of  music,  poetry,  art;  in  a 
word,  a low  standard  of  ideals  in  thought  and  action. 
Men  of  business  who  allow  their  affairs  to  absorb  their 
every  thought  and  chill  their  higher  impulses  will 
surely  possess  strongly  knotted  fingers. 


Again  combining  "knots”  and  "tips,”  I find  that  the 
"fingers  knotted  and  conical”  indicate  a philosophical 
bend;  the  inductive  faculty  combined  with  a scientific 
aptitude,  including  the  inventive,  reasoning  genius. 

"Fingers  knotted  and  square  or  spatulate” — The 
above  characteristics  are  modified  by  a stronger  infu- 
sion of  practical,  every-day  usefulness.  There  is  more 
imitative  than  inventive  genius  to  be  expected  from 


§6 


THE  KNOTS 


their  possessors;  common  sense,  love  of  order,  fond- 
ness and  aptitude  for  the  business  at  hand,  an  invari- 
able resolve  to  do  the  best  of  every  situation  and  to 
turn  it  to  some  practical  advantage. 

It  is  the  other  branch  of  chirosophy  that  will  fur- 
nish us  with  the  key  to  this  double  problem.  I may 
say,  now,  however,  that  a married  couple  will  seldom 
find  durable  happiness  and  congenial  companionship 
if  the  wife  has  not  smooth  fingers  and  the  husband  has 
not  knotted  ones. 

(3)  Fingers  with  only  the  First  Joint  Knotted. 

Each  knot  has  a meaning  of  its  own,  so  the 
fingers  with  only  the  first  joint  knotted,  the  other 
being  smooth,  are  the  ‘^philosopher's  fingers,"  the 
fingers  of  the  deep,  logical  thinker,  of  a being  of 
uncommon  intellectual  power;  it  is  especially  so  if  the 
second  phalanx  of  the  thumb  is  large  and  well  shaped. 
However,  if  that  phalanx  of  the  thumb  is  short,  this 
knot  betrays  a disposition  to  reason,  but  in  a false 
direction;  it  is  the  characteristic  of  the  sophist,  the 
clever  fellow,  fond  of  paradoxes  and  invariably  taking 
up,  with  ill-directed  cleverness,  the  wrong  side  of  every 
question. 

With  a palm  thin  and  dry  added  to  a weak  thumb, 


THE  KNOTS 


57 


you  may  expect  a want  of  high  ideals  and  of  lofty 
sentiments,  while  tfie  reasoning  power  will  still  be 
brilliant,  if  useless,  and  often  be  harmful  to  the  owner 
and  to  others. 

(4)  Pingers  with  only  the  Second  Joint  Knotted, 
are  indication  of  ^‘order  in  material  things,”  in  con- 
tradiction to  the  above  described  fingers  (3)  which  are 
characteristic  of  '^order  in  things  mental  or  psychol- 
ogic.” Here  we  have  the  hands  of  the  typical  utilitar- 
ian, the  being  who  concentrates  the  whole  power  of 
mind  or  will  upon  classification,  system,  minutely 
exact  arrangement.  It  is  found  in  the  hands  of  mer- 
chants, bookkeepers,  farmers,  skilled  mechanics,  offi- 
cers of  the  ^'martinet”  pattern,  school  teachers  of  an 
ordinary  kind.  It  is  generally  a characteristic  of  the 
‘^primitive  hand,”  of  which  more  anon. 

Now,  here  is  one  more  observation  of  a general 
nature  that  you  may  usefully  preserve  in  your  memory 
for  further  reference: 

‘‘Education  and  self-discipline  often  develop  knots 
in  the  fingers  that  were  absent  at  first;  but  never  can 
knots  disappear  when  once  placed  by  the  Maker  in 
one’s  hands.”  Not  once,  but  scores  of  times,  have  I 
met  with  people  whom  I had  known  years  ago, 


THE  NAILS 


whose  hands  I had  examined  then  and  whose  finger 
joints  I found  thus  modified.  Young  boys,  especially, 
whom  I had  known  indifferent  to  study  and  living  the 
life  of  bright,  healthy  young  animals,  I met  later,  after 
their  intellectual  development  had  taken  place — and 
the  knots  of  reasoning,  of  order,  were  now  visible  and 
told  a true,  if  surprising  story. 

One  more  reason  why  the  hands  of  young  people 
ought  to  be  examined  early,  such  observations  to  serve 
as  bases  for  a study  of  the  boy’s  or  girl’s  future  and 
the  kind  of  occupation  he  or  she  ought  to  be  induced 
to  adopt  for  a life  work. 

Now,  we  have  carefully  reviewed  the  palms,  the  tips, 
the  knots;  all  that  remains  to  complete  our  examina- 
tion is  a study  of 

The  Pinger  Nails. 

Here  I may  be  allowed  to  say,  just  “en  passant,” 
that  the  modern  physician,  be  he  allopath,  homeopath, 
or  eclectic,  has  long  ago  admitted  that  the  color,  con- 
sistency and  heat  of  the  palm,  as  well  as  the  form  and 
thickness  of  the  nails,  are  elements  he  cannot  afford  to 
neglect  when  forming  a diagnosis  of  any  patient’s 
state  of  health. 

And  in  what  I have  to  say  about  the  nails  most 


THE  NAILS 


69 


medical  works  agree  with  the  statements  herein  made. 

Of  course,  in  expatiating  upon  the  size  of  the  nail  I 
have  simply  reference  to  that  portion  of  the  nail  which 
extends  from  its  incipiency  to  the  tip  of  the  finger;  the 
growth  above  that  is  left  to  the  fancy  of  the  person, 
and  has  nothing  to  do  with  Chirognomy,  although  I 
may  just  as  well  insist  upon  the  fact  that  ^‘finger  nails 
kept  short  by  constant  biting”  are  the  invariable  indi- 


FIG.  7.  THE  FINGER  NAILS. 


cation  of  a nervous,  worrying,  irritable  temperament, 
and  often  of  a deceitful  nature;  still  more  so  if  the 
finger  tips  are  spatulate.  In  fact,  I would  have  as  little 
to  do  as  possible  with  any  one  who  bites  his  or  her 
nails.  The  habit  is  filthy,  degrading  and  just  a degree 
or  two  above  morphinomania. 

^‘Long  nails”  are  signs  of  a comparatively  weak 
physical  nature,  especially  if  they  are  thin. 


THE  NAILS 


''Long  nails,  thin,  curved,  or  (worse  still)  fluted  or 
ribbed/’ — ^Weak  lungs,  consumptive  tendency  (see 
Nos.  3 and  4 in  Fig.  7). 

"Long,  thick  and  curved.” — Cruelty,  unchastity. 

"Moderately  long,  but  wide  and  bluish  in  tint.” — 
Bad  circulation  of  the  blood;  danger  of  nervous  pros- 
tration. 

"Moderately  long,  thin  and  brittle.” — ^Throat 
troubles  (No.  2). 

The  Short  Nails. 

In  general  they  denote  perspicacity,  self-possession, 
quickness  of  intellect;  they  are  the  nails  of  the  perfect 
reporter  and  the  lawyer,  ever  ready  with  a witty  repar- 
tee ; the  nails  of  the  mocker. 

"Short  and  pale” — Falsehood  and  cunning  (No.  1). 

"Short  and  square-shaped” — Heart  disease  (No.  5). 

"Short  and  wide,  with  skin  growing  far  up” — Pug- 
nacity, domineering  spirit,  meddlesomeness;  love  of 
order  pushed  to  extremes,  especially  with  spatulate 
tips  and  a short  thumb. 

"Short  and  triangular  shaped,  besides  being  flat  and 
thin” — Disposition  to  paralysis  (No.  6). 

"Very  narrow  and  curved” — Spinal  troubles  in  proS' 
pect. 


virago, 

Tusband  will  have  to  be  very  humble,  indeed, 
if  he  wants  peace  in  his  home.  Any  one  can  see  at 
first  glance  that  it  is  the  counterpart  of  the  typical 
woman’s  finger  and  nail. 

The  ‘‘perfect  nail”  ought  to  be  white  and  naturally 
polished  (needing  very  little  of  that  odious  manicur- 
ing), transparent  without  being  too  thin,  slightly  pink 
and  not  brittle ; length,  normal.  Such  are  the  nails  of 
those  possessing  good  spirit,  refinement,  correct  natur- 
al taste  and  tact. 


Marks  on  the  Nails. 

There  used  to  be  a pretended  science  called  “Ony- 
chomancy,”  or  divination  by  the  finger  nails,  much 
practiced  by  the  necromancers  of  the  middle  ages. 
It  was  never  based  upon  real,  scientific,  co-ordinated 
observations,  and  I need  not  give  it  more  than  a pass- 
ing notice.  “Battista  Porta”  used  to  say  that: 

“Black  spots”  denoted  grief,  contention,  melan- 
choly, while  they  lasted. 

According  to  “De  Peruccio:” 

“A  star-shaped  white  mark,”  indicates  a vain  wor- 


qiiited  love  or  d^ce^iolr. 

On  the  contrary,  “white  marks  on  the  thumb  nail" 
announce  a reciprocated  attachment,  while 

“Black  spots  on  the  same  nail”  prognosticate  faults 
or  even  crimes  caused  by  passion. 

On  the  nail  of  the  index  finger — “a  white  mark” — a 
gain — “a  black  mark” — a loss^ 

On  the  middle  finger  nail,  '“a  white  mark” — jour* 
ney;  “a  black  mark” — coming  destruction. 

On  the  ring  finger  nail,  “a  white  mark,”  honor  and 
wealth;  “a  black  mark,”  infamy  in  store. 

On  the  little  finger  nail,  “a  white  mark,”  success  in 
business  and  science;  “a  black  mark,”  failure. 

Finally  “Melton,”  the  famous  London  astrologer 
of  the  seventeenth  century,  wrote: 

“To  have  yellow  speckles  in  the  nails  of  one’s  hands 
is  a greate  signe  of  death.”  This  confirms  the  idea 
current  in  those  days  that  a yellowish  palm  was  a 
prognostic  of  disaster,  physical  and  moral. 

But  all  these,  I repeat,  are  not  to  be  relied  upon 
implicitly;  although  the  reader  may  observe  around 
him  and  draw  his  own  conclusions  from  what  he  sees. 


THE  NAILS 


Now  I reach,  in  this  accurate  “resume”  of  the  whole 
science  of  Chirognomy,  this  “world  in  a world,”  as  a 
great  modern  thinker  calls  it — the  Thumb. 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE  THUMB  AND  ITS  MYSTERIES. 

The  Chinese,  who  are  thorough  believers  in  the  old 
fashioned  chiromancy,  not  scientific,  but  astrologic, 
have  a system  of  divination  by  the  study  of  the  impres- 
sion left  by  the  ball  of  the  thumb  pressed  on  a lump  of 
soft  wax.  The  illiterate  knights  of  old  used  to  put 
just  such  marks  on  the  parchment  deeds  they  were 
called  upon  to  sign.  Both  facts  demonstrate  how 
generally  it  is  held  that  there  are  not  two  thumbs 
whose  imprints  would  prove  absolutely  alike.  In  the 
same  way  there  are  not  two  hands  whose  shape  and 
lines  are  identical.  The  thumb  speaks  for  the  whole 
member.  As  d’Arpentigny  wrote:  ^'The  higher 
animal  is  revealed  in  the  hand,  but  the  man  is  in  the 
thumb.’’ 

It  would  be  a loss  of  space  for  me  to  expatiate 
further  on  the  extraordinary  value  and  interest  of  the 
thumb  in  its  physical  as  well  as  ethnological  aspect. 

(64) 


THE  THUMB  AND  ITS  MYSTERIES 


FIG.  8.  THE  DIFFERENT  KINDS  OF  THUMB. 


THE  THUMB  AND  ITS  MYSTERIES 


I could  multiply  by  tfie  score  historical  data  that  would 
group  around  this  little  fragment  of  a member,  details 
religious  and  profane  of  the  highest  possible  interest. 
But  I have  resolved  to  leave  out  ‘‘the  superfluous”  and 
confine  myself  to  “the  necessary;”  so  I shall  at  once 
investigate  with  you. 

1.  The  thumb  “as  a whole.” 

2.  The  “first”  (nailed)  phalanx  of  the  thumb. 

3.  The  “second”  phalanx. 

As  the  “third”  phalanx,  more  usually,  in  fact 
“always,”  called  the  “mount  of  Venus,”  is  considered, 
in  chirosophy,  to  belong  to  the  palm  of  the  hand,  its 
detailed  examination  will  be  postponed  until  my  Chap- 
ter VII — which  is  to  be  devoted  to  “the  Mounts.” 

The  Thumb  as  a Whole. 

The  possessor  of  a “large  thumb”  will  be  self  reliant, 
difficult  to  influence,  often  despotic;  he  will  be  gov- 
erned by  the  head,  not  the  heart.  If,  besides  that,  “the 
finger  tips  are  square  and  spatulate  and  the  joints 
knotted”  he  will  be  fond  of  the  exact  sciences  and  the 
occupations  derived  from  it — engineering,  architec- 
ture, the  teaching  of  higher  mathematics. 

The  possessor  of  a “small  thumb”  will  be  easily 
influenced;  led  by  the  heart  and  not  tlie  brain;  a man 


THE  THUMB  AND  ITS  MYSTERIES  61 

or  woman  of  ideas  but  not  of  action;  if  accompanied 
by  smooth,  conical  or  pointed-tipped  fingers,  the  art- 
istic and  poetic  genius  will  be  highly  developed, 
although  it  may  not  materialize  in  any  finished  work, 

‘‘A  flexible  thumb,’’  i.  e.,  bending  back  easily, 
denotes  extravagance  in  everything — money  matters, 
thoughts,  projects;  adaptability  to  all  circumstances 
and  surroundings. 

‘‘A  stiff  thumb,”  bending  back  but  very  little,  if  at 
all,  is  a sign  of  stubbornness,  caution,  secretiveness, 
sense  of  fairness,  a wealth  of  common  sense;  but  little 
feeling  and  a tendency  to  limit  one’s  intercourse  to 
one’s  own  family  and  the  people  who  may  be  made 
use  of. 

The  First  Phalanx  of  the  Thumb. 

It  represents  will-power,  self-reliance,  domineering 
spirit.  In  proportion  to  its  length  the  above  dharac- 
teristics  are  more  or  less  marked. 

“Too  long” — energy  risen  to  despotism. 

“Short” — energy  is  of  a passive  kind. 

“Very  Short” — ^weakness  of  will,  culminating  in 
carelessness,  indifference,  chronic  discouragement 
(1). 

“Long  with  square-tipped  fingers” — ^wi  1,  tempered 


68 


THE  THUMB  AND  ITS  MYSTERIES 


by  a love  of  justice;  the  same  a soft  hand^— will 
power  only  exercised  by  fits  and  starts,  as  the  soft  hand 
stands  for  laziness.  (2) 

‘‘Of  medium  length  and  broad” — obstinacy,  except 
when  the  finger  tips  are  square,  when  it  means  firm- 
ness of  judgment. 

“Of  extra  length  and  very  broad,”  the  w^orst  symp- 
tom of  all — ungovernable  temper,  furious  impulses.. 
One  of  the  characteristics  of  murderers,  highwaymen, 
life-beaters,  brutal  parents.  These  prognostics  may 
be  modified,  for  good  or  bad,  by  an  examination  of  the 
lines,  but,  for  my  part,  I have  found  them  to  be  always 
strictly  exact,  though  impressively  ominous.  I would 
avoid  any  intercourse  with  man  or  woman  afflicted 
with  such  a tell-tale  phalanx.  Sometimes  its  shape  is 
almost  “clubbed;”  this  increases  all  the  detestable 
signs  above  enumerated.  (5) 

The  Second  Phalanx  of  the  Thumb. 

It  represents  logic,  reasoning  power,  judgment.  In 
proportion  to  its  length,  the  above  characteristics  are 
more  or  less  marked. 

“A  full  and  clumsy  phalanx” — minor  develop- 
ment of  ntellectual,  logical  power;  a lower  grade  of 
brtins. 


THE  THUMB  AND  ITS  MYSTERIES 


‘Wasp-shaped  phalanx,  with  the  center  slightly 
concave’’ — a brilliant  intellect,  quick,  sharp  and  deep. 

The  combination  of  the  two  phalanges  presents  itself 
under  two  aspects: 

1.  ‘'With  a long  second  phalanx  and  a short  first,” 
we  have  the  talkers  and  reasoners  who  will  do  little 
else  than  prove  to  you,  very  cleverly,  that  they  are 
always  right;  they  are  the  great  manufacturers  of  par- 
adoxes ; in  other  cases  they  will  reason  quite  correctly 
but  fail  in  execution  (4) 

2.  The  contrary  combination:  “First  long  and 
second  short,”  denotes  the  people  who  act  without 
proper  reflection,  or  who  fail  to  correctly  judge  a sit- 
uation and  run  reckless  risks;  they  will  act  in  a hurry 
and  repent  at  leisure.  (3) 

Let  me  finish  this  review  of  the  thumb  with  a couple 
of  observations  of  some  scientific  as  well  as  historical 
value;  they  illustrate  the  principles  I have  just  laid 
down : 

Galileo,  Descartes,  Newton,  Leibnitz,  had  very 
large  thumbs;  Voltaire’s  also  were  enormous;  the  first 
phalanx  of  the  French  martyr  king,  the  weak,  vacil- 
lating Louis  XVL,  was  very  small.  On  the  other 
hand,  cretins  and  other  idiots  have  but  slightly  devel- 


7e  THE  THUMB  AND  ITS  MYSTERIES 

oped  thumbs.  It  has  also  been  noticed  in  idiots  that 
until,  by  suitable  treatment,  rays  of  intelligence  are 
drawn  from  them,  they  constantly  keep  their  hands 
shut  with  the  fingers  above  the  thumb;  in  proportion 
as  their  minds  expand  the  thumb  comes  out  of  his  hid- 
ing place  until,  when  the  hand  is  closed,  the  thumb  is 
outside. 


CHAPTER  VL 


THE^^PRIMITIVE  HAND— THE  WOMAN'S  HAND«- 
THE  MURDERER'S  HAND. 

The  primitive  hand,  an  illustration  of  which  I give 
herein  (Fig.  9),  is  the  hand  generally  met  among  arti- 
sans of  a lower  order,  unskilled  laborers  that  are  not 
destined  to  rise  from  and  out  of  their  humble  sur- 
roundings. I shall  describe  it  chirognomically,  as  it 
will  serve  as  a good  example  for  the  reader’s  own  sys- 
tematic investigations. 

1.  Palm  very  large,  thick  and  hard.  By  that  I do 
not  mean  hardened  by  honest  toil ; you  could  bathe  the 
primitive  hand  for  twenty-four  hours  at  a stretch,  rub- 
bing it  with  the  finest  soaps,  and  have  it  manicured 
to  death,  it  would  still  be  hard,  although  it  be  no 
longer  ‘‘horny”  or  dirty. 

2.  Fingers  short,  thick,  not  flexible.  Vulgar  appe- 
tites; rudimentary  feelings;  sensuality,  not  love. 

3.  Square  tips,  or  rather  rounded  tips  without  dis- 

(71)  ^ 


72 


THE  PRIMITIVE  HAND 


tinct  character;  no  ideas, , hardly  a thought  outside  of 
the  daily  bread  and  the  daily  drink. 

4.  Thumb  short,  insignificant,  slightly  turned  back, 
for  is  not  that  class  particularly  improvident,  thought- 
less and  easily  influenced  by  walking  delegate,  social- 
ist or  anarchist?  There  is  also  a good  deal  of  ferocity 
represented  by  a flattened  first  phalanx  of  the  thumb. 
Its  energy  is  all  passive;  its  instincts  are  primitive  to  a 
degree. 


Here  we  have  the  hand  of  the  savage.  Alas,  not 
only  that  of  the  wild  man  of  Africa,  but  that  of  the 
unfortunate,  illiterate  white  slave  of  our  own  country, 
for  whom  life  is  a ceaseless  grind  and  a barroom  the 
only  paradise  in  sight.  And  there  remains  but  one 


THE  WOMAN’S  HAND 


73 


consolation  for  us  when  we  consider  his  sad  case,  and 
that  is  that  he  is  not  depraved  at  heart  and  can  be  influ- 
enced for  good  almost  as  easily  as  for  bad.  Were  it 
not  so  our  boasted  civilization  would  not  last  a day. 

In  concluding  my  exhaustive  study  of  the  rules  of 
chirognomy,  it  seems  to  me  that  I can  do  nothing  bet- 
ter than  to  present  to  my  readers  two  types  of  hands, 
that  we  may  consider  as  the  two  extremes  of  perfec- 
tion and  wickedness — namely,  the  Hand  of  Woman 
and  the  Hand  of  the  Murderer.  And  by 
The  Woman^s  Hand 

I do  not  mean  the  hand  of  the  woman  of  genius,  or 
even  the  hand  of  the  woman  of  unusual  beauty,  in 
shape  and  features,  I mean  the  hand  of  the  average 
wom^an,  of  the  woman  ‘^womanly the  mother,  the 
sweetheart,  the  daughter;  the  woman  of  the  home, 
with  her  love,  her  patience,  her  divine  devotion,  but 
also  with  her  imagination  ever  awake,  her  lack  of 
logic,  her  sudden  intuition,  replacing  sedate,  sober 
reasoning,  her  whims  and  unexplained  likes  and  dis- 
likes. Of  this  woman’s  hand  here  lies  the  picture 
before  you  (Fig.  10);  let  us  read  it  together  chirog- 
nomically;  in  its  variations,  slight  or  important,  it  tells 
the  following  tale: 


74 


THE  WOMAN’S  HAND 


Remark,  first  of  all,  that  the  ‘^tips  of  these  fingers 
are  neither  spatulate  nor  square;”  they  belong  evi- 
dently to  the  ‘^conical”  type,  although  not  very  pro- 
nounced. Now  in  Chapter  IIL,  you  will  find  that  I 
said  that  the  possessors  of  such  fingers  are  ‘Vuled  by 


impulse  rather  than  calculation;”  they  are  predisposed 
to  love  beautiful  things;  they  ''pass  quickly  from  the 
acme  of  felicity  to  the  lowest  depth  of  despair;”  they 
need  excitement  in  their  lives  and  are  not — alas! — 
they  are  not  always  constant. 

The  second  observation  is  that  "in  this  hand  there 
are  no  knots.”  Especially  "the  first  joint  is  decidedly 
smooth,”  meaning,  as  you  know,  the  absence  of  a logi- 
cal, philosophical  bent  of  the  mind.  Generally  "the 


THE  WOMAN^S  HAND 


75 


second  joint  is  slightly  knotted/'  a sign  of  '^order  in 
material  things."  This  is  more  clearly  seen  in  the 
typical  housewife  than  whom  there  is  no  creature  on 
earth  that  distributes  more  real,  solid  happiness. 

The  third  remark  refers  to  the  thumb:  It  is  ^gen- 
erally somewhat  large"  in  the  American  woman,  who 
is  allowed  so  much  liberty  in  her  intercourse  with 
men;  that  means  that  she  is  born  naturally  sensible 
and  cautious  in  aflairs  of  the  heart;  in  other  words, 
that  she  holds  her  sensations  under  the  control  of  a 
well-balanced  will. 

''A  small  thumb"  would  prove  disastrous  for  a 
woman  whose  lines  would  not  belie  this  disposition  to 
excessive  coquetry,  unreasonable  jealousy  and  unreli- 
able nerves.  Society  belles,  I am  sorry  to  say,  are 
very  frequently  affected  with  a puny  thumb..  They  are 
very  seductive,  as  a rule,  but  very  fickle  and  some* 
what  fond  of  coming  mighty  near  the  fire  ^That  some- 
times scorches." 

Short-thumbed  women  do  not  keep  secrets,  nor  do 
they  keep  their  word,  nor  are  they  over-scrupulous 
when  talking  scandal.  Fingers  of  diversified  types 
and  shapes — ‘^stragglers,"  I call  them — are  often  found 
in  connection  with  these  short  thumbs;  when  closed 


76 


THE  MURDERER’S  HAND 


together  they  have  wide  spaces  for  the  light  to  pass 
between,  an  indication  of  a never-satiated  inquisitive- 
ness. 

Large-4;humbed  women  are  somewhat  slower  in 
understanding,  but  withal  shrewd  and  calculating. 
They  consider  marriage  as  a matter  of  business,  not 
passion;  they  are  ‘'common  sense  all  over;”  sometimes 
they  will  be  found  worrying  needlessly,  domineering  in 
spirit,  even  loud-voiced  and  “mannish;”  still,  they  are 
the  ones  to  be  trusted. 

From  this  most  pleasant  subject  I pass  to  a descrip- 
tion of 

The  Murderer^s  Hand. 

I mean,  of  course,  the  brutal,  blood-thirsty  assassin, 
who  hardly  prepares  his  crime,  but  commits  it  in  an 


THE  MURDERER’S  HAND 


77 


outburst  of  almost  unconquerable  ferocity.  His  hand 
is  closely  allied  to  the  ‘'primitive  type/’  and  its  char- 
acteristics may  be  enumerated  as  follows  (figure  11): 

1.  Thick,  heavy  “palm,”  reddish  in  tint,  and  broad- 
er than  the  average. 

2.  Short,  awkward  and  stiff  “fingers.” 

3.  Insignificant  “tips.” 

4.  No  “knots”  to  speak  of,  although  sometimes  the 
second  joint  may  be  clumsy  and  thick. 

5.  “Nails”  broad,  thick,  of  medium  length  but  red- 
dish in  tint. 

6.  A “thumb”  with  the  “clubbed”  first  phalanx, 
and  a second  phalanx  insignificant. 

These  various  observations  I made  myself  in  the 
hands  of  Tropmann,  who,  single-handed,  killed  a fam- 
ily of  seven  people,  all  in  half  an  hour,  at  Pantin,  near 
Paris;  of  Dumolard,  the  Lyons  assassin,  who  mur- 
dered, nobody  knows  how  many  poor  servant  girls; 
of  Avinain,  the  Parisian  butcher,  who  killed  and  cut 
to  pieces  several  confiding  victims,  and  of  several  other 
infamously  prominent  criminals. 

It  is  the  typical  hand  of  the  drunken  brute  of  the 
lower  classes;  rarely  found  among  educated  people, 


78 


THE  MURDERER’S  HAND 


no  better  at  heart  perhaps,  but  craftier  in  the  satisfying 
of  their  murderous  instincts. 

With  the  examination  of  these  extremes,  sweet, 
dainty,  woman-kind,  and  the  ferocious  beast  of  the 
slums,  I close  my  chirognomic  observations;  and,  on 
my  way  to  the  detailed  explanation  of  the  Lines,  I 
stop  a short  while  to  read  with  you  the  mounts  of  the 
hand. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE  MOUNTS  OF  THE  HAND. 

The  reader  will  admit  that  I have  so  far  been  con- 
scientiously faithful  to  my  promise  not  to  mix  scientific 
explanations  with  my  statements  of  facts.  I shall  pur- 
sue the  same  course  as  I reach  the  Mounts,  these  prc 
tuberances,  more  or  less  accentuated,  which  are 
observed  at  the  root  of  each  finger  and  are  but  seldom 
absent.  A great  deal  could  be  said  concerning  the 
close  relation  between  these  mounts  considered  as 
nerve  centers  and  the  other  reservoirs  of  nervous 
force;  the  brain  and  the  spine.  But  this  is  a '‘theory,’^ 
and  we  have  decided  from  the  start  to  keep  aloof  from 
all  theories;  so  let  us  examine,  without  further  pre- 
amble, the  illustration  herein  inserted  (Fig.  12),  and 
enumerate  the  indications  of  value  found  in  it  concern- 
ing: 

The  mounts  in  general. 

1.  The  mount  of  Jupiter  (below  the  index). 

2.  The  mount  of  Saturn  (below  the  middle  finger). 

3.  The  mount  of  the  Sun  (below  the  ring  finger). 

(79) 


80 


THE  MOUNTS  OF  THE  HAND 


4.  The  mount  of  Mercury  (below  the  little  finger). 

5.  The  mount  of  Venus  (being  the  third  phalanx 
of  the  thumb). 

6.  The  mount  of  the  Moon  (along  the  Percussion 
between  the  Rascette  and  the  Line  of  Head). 

7.  The  double  mount  of  Mars  (one  placed  between 
the  mount  of  Mercury  and  the  mount  of  the  Moon, 
^"alled  the  upper  mount  of  Mars,  and  the  other  just 
beneath  the  mount  of  Jupiter,  called  the  lower  mount 
of  Mars). 

When  examining  a hand,  after  you  are  through  with 
the  chirognomic  observations  to  which  I have  devoted 
four  chapters  and  much  close  study,  you  must  concen- 
trate your  attention  on  ‘The  mounts,’’  the  names  and 
locations  of  which  are  indicated  in  Fig.  12. 

If  a hand  shows  “a  total  absence  of  mounts” — 5.  e., 
if  the  space  at  the  root  of  the  fingers  is  uniformly  occu- 
pied by  a plain  or  even  a hollow,  it  means  that  the  life 
of  the  subject  will  be  a purely  negative  one,  perhaps 
because  he,  or  she,  never  had  a chance  to  develop  any 
particylar  characteristic. 

If  “the  mounts  are  all  there,  but  equal  or  nearly  so,” 
it  denotes  a most  desirable  harmony  of  existence,  the 
hand  of  peace  and  plenty. 


THE  MOUNTS  OF  THE  HAND 


81 


FIG.  12.  THE  MOUNTS  OF  THE  HAND. 


S2  THE  MOUNTS  OF  THE  HAND 

/ 

But  the  two  conditions  above  described  are  very 
rare,  indeed.  Instead  of  that,  even  a rapid  examina- 
tion of  the  hand  will  show  ‘'one  or  more  mounts  dis- 
tinctly predominant,”  generally  one  higher  than  the 
others,  that  will  give  you  the  keynote  of  the  character 
and  disposition  of  the  subject  under  examination. 

The  second  mount  in  predominance  will  constitute 
another  precious  element  of  study.  I will  show  you 
farther  how  these  combinations,  which  are  twenty-one 
in  number  (if  we  are  satisfied  to  associate  “two”  prom- 
inent mounts,  and  no  more)  diversify  the  types  of 
character  and  disposition  in  the  most  curious  as  well 
as  accurate  manner. 

Frequently  “the  mounts  '*re  not  found  exactly  at 
the  places  they  belong  to” — i.  e.,  at  the  root  of  each 
finger — you  will  often  find  them  leaning  toward  a 
neighboring  mount.  The  meaning  of  this  is  also 
given  in  full  when  speaking  of  each  mount  by  itself. 

It  has  often  been  said,  very  justly,  I think,  that  the 
mounts  on  the  hand  could  be  considered  as  similar, 
in  their  revelations,  to  the  protuberances  on  the  human 
cranium,  examined  and  explained  by  the  phrenolo- 
gists. The  connection — mysterious  though  it  cer- 


THE  MOUNT  OF  JUPITER  83 

tainly  Is — does  really  exist,  and  I t?hought  I would 
mention  it  ^'en  passant/’ 

One  thing  more  before  diving  into  the  separate 
study  of  each  of  the  mounts.  The  lines — either  prin- 
cipal, or  secondary,  or  capillary — that  cross  the  mounts 
modify  considerably,  sometimes  radically,  the  mean- 
ing of  these  mounts.  This  will  be  explained  in  good 
time,  and  in  full.  I call  your  attention  to  it  now,  sim- 
ply as  a further  confirmation  of  that  stern  principle, 
never  to  be  forgotten  one  moment  by  a true,  honest 
and  conscientious  chirosophist,  ‘‘that  no  isolated 
observation  is  of  a real,  absolute  value.”  It  was  so  for 
the  palm,  the  finger  tips,  the  knots,  the  nails,  the 
thumb;  it  is  just  as  seriously  true  for  the  mounts.  We 
shall  now  examine 

(1)  The  Mount  of  Jupiter, 
at  the  root  of  the  index  finger. 

Its  “absence”  denotes  a lack  of  self-respect,  of  ven- 
eration for  divinity,  parents  and  old  age.  A sure  sign 
of  low,  vulgar  instincts. 

Its  “normal  predominence” — ^worthy  ambition,  hon- 
est pride,  religious  belief,  love  of  nature.  Perhaps  a 
little  pomposity  and  a disinclination  to  making  new 


84  THE  M^OUNT  OF  JUPITER 

^icquaintances.  Also  self-assertion  often  exaggerated 
and  a fondness  for  flattery.  The  possessors  of  such  a 
well-formed  mount  are  generally  healthy,  handsome 
and  well  liked.  They  marry  early  and  well.  The 
palm  ought  to  be  firm  and  flexible,  and  the  first  pha- 
lanx of  the  thumb  slightly  longer  than  the  second. 

^‘Normal,  with  a well  shaped  midd'"  finger'' — A sign 
of  a very  happy,  successful  life. 

Its  '^excessive  development"  shows  arrogance,  a 
domineering  spirit,  an  extravagant  love  of  display  and 
showy  pleasures;  besides  selfishness  going  to  the 
extreme  of  vindictiveness  and  criminal  jealousy.  Here 
we  have  false  pride,  inordinate  vanity  ruling  the  sub‘ 
ject's  life. 

This  excess,  ‘Vith  pointed  finger  tips" — supersti- 
tion. 

This  excess,  ‘‘with  square  tips" — systematic  ty- 
ranny. 

This  excess,  “with  long  fingers  and  smooth  joints" 
—^fondness  for  luxury;  the  spendthrift's  hand. 

“If  it  leans  toward  the  mount  of  Saturn"  instead  of 
being  exactly  under  the  index  finger — Disposition 
toward  serious  topics;  theology,  classics  or  mathemat- 
ics; the  temj^ament  will  be  b'oth  proud  and  sail. 


THE  MOUNT  OF  SATURN  85 

In  combination  with  one  of  the  other  mounts  we 
shall  find  that : 

1.  “The  mounts  of  Jupiter  and  Saturn  predomi- 
nant”— Signs  of  excellent  luck  through  life. 

3.  “The  mounts  of  Jupiter  and  the  Sun” — A prog- 
nostic of  wealth  and  reputation. 

3.  “The  mounts  of  Jupiter  and  Mercury”  together 
^ — ^a  love  of  the  exact  sciences;  they  are  also  found  in 
poets,  and,  strange  to  say,  in  successful  physicians; 
but  this  “same  combination  with  bad  lines”  denotes 
vanity,  selfishness,  charlatanry,  and  immorality. 

4.  “The  mounts  of  Jupiter  and  Venus”  combined 
— pleasant,  sociable  disposition,  honest,  pure  love,  sin- 
cerity, generosity,  an  unselfisih  devotion  to  women. 

6.  “The  mounts  of  Jupiter  and  the  Moon” — a 
sober,  just,  quietly  honest  disposition. 

6.  “The  Mounts  of  Jupiter  and  Mars” — Self-confi- 
dence, bravery,  talent  as  a military  commander. 

(2)  Tlie  Mount  of  Saturn. 

“Absent” — Vegetative  existence,  insignificant  life. 

“Normally  predominent,”  the  sign  of  an  element  of 
fatality  in  the  subject’s  life.  Everything  connected 
with  Saturn,  be  it  the  finger,  the  mount  or  the  line 
(also  called  “Line  of  Fate”  or  “Line  of  Luck”),  must 


86 


THE  MOUNT  OF  SATURN 


be  considered  as  of  the  highest  importance  in  hand 
reading.  It  represents  the  only  element  perhaps 
against  which  the  will-power,  guided  by  intuition  or 
by  logic,  is  often  impotent.  It  truly  represents  the 
‘‘Ananke”  of  the  Greeks,  the  '^Sors”  of  the  Latins,  the 
‘‘Kismef’  of  the  Mussulmans. 

‘The  mount  of  Saturn  normally  developed,”  indi- 
cates, therefore,  sensitiveness,  often  morbidness,  a love 
of  solitude  and  an  abhorrence  for  taking  risks.  Its 
possessors  seldom  marry,  make  few  friends,  confine 
themselves  to  occupations  of  a very  steady  character; 
agricultural  especially.  They  are  not  believers  in 
religious  creeds,  are  born  philosophers  and  love  only 
serious  literature  and  grave  music.  They  are  sure  to 
have  long  fingers  with  the  joint  of  the  first  phalanx 
“knotted” — ^the  fingers  and  the  knot  of  the  thinker. 

“An  exaggerated  mount  of  Saturn” — very  seldom 
met  with — denotes  an  increase,  up  to  the  danger  point, 
of  the  bad  signs  just  enumerated;  also,  a constant  hor- 
ror and  fear  of  death  and  a strange  curiosity  of  suicide. 
It  is  one  of  the  prognostics  of  coming  insanity. 

“If  the  mount  of  Saturn  is  found  displaced  toward 
the  mount  of  the  Sun,”  it  shows  that  the  fatidic  strain 
can  be  fought  against  with  success. 


THE  MOUNT  OF  SATURN  87 

The  double  combinations  of  this  mount  with  one  of 
the  others  are  to  be  read  as  follows : 

7.  ^‘Mounts  of  Saturn  and  the  Sun” — in  a hand 
with  good  lines — ^good  heart,  good  taste,  sense  of  ven- 
eration; in  a hand  with  bad  lines — bad  taste,  poor  brain 
power,  melancholia,  hysteria. 

8.  ^'Mounts  of  Saturn  and  Mercury” — In  a hand 
with  good  lines — happiness,  desire  for  information, 
love  for  science,  especially  medicine ; the  antiquarian’s 
and  the  amateur  scientist’s  hand.  In  a hand  with  bad 
lines — ugly  temper,  perfidious  and  cheating  disposi- 
tion; the  thief’s  and  the  charlatan’s  hand. 

9.  ^'Mounts  of  Saturn  and  Venus” — In  a hand  with 
good  lines — ^honest  fondness  for  occult  sciences,  char- 
ity, logic,  self-possession,  an  innocent  love  of  display. 
In  a hand  with  bad  lines — intense  jealousy,  selfish  fri- 
volity, insatiate  curiosity. 

10.  ‘‘Mounts  of  Saturn  and  the  Moon” — Remark- 
able talent  for  the  occult  sciences.  Some  chirosoph- 
ists  pretend  that  subjects  with  these  two  mounts  about 
equally  prominent  are  invariably  ugly  in  form  and 
features. 

11.  “Mounts  of  Saturn  and  Mars” — Choleric  tern- 


88 


THE  MOUNT  OF  THE  SUN 


per,  combativeness,  aggressively  domineering  disposi' 
tion,  cynicism,  devil-may-care  manners  and  habits 
(3)  The  Mount  of  the  Sun. 

''Absent,’’  dull  intellect,  purely  material  instincts, 
indifference  to  matters  artistic  and  literary. 

"Slightly  developed” — a love  of  the  beautiful,  but 
no  productive  talent  in  the  line  of  art,  music,  literature. 

"Well  developed  and  normal” — Success,  wealth  and 
fame  in  prospect  through  achievements  in  the  arts, 
belles  letters,  eloquence;  self-confidence,  amiability, 
physical  beauty,  inventive  genius,  benevolence,  gener- 
osity. Its  possessors  are  fond  of  jewelry,  of  splendid 
religious  ceremonies;  it  is  found  in  the  hands  of  gifted 
men  and  women — affectionate,  but  not  sensual — not 
very  strong  nor  persistent  in  their  loves  and  friend- 
ships; not  lucky  in  their  marital  relations — few  artists 
are,  for  their  ideal  is  too  high.  This  mount  is  accom- 
panied by  slightly  square  tips  and  with  joints  without 
knots;  the  second  phalanx  of  the  thumb  is  long. 

"Exaggerate” — Inordinate  vanity,  hankering  after 
flattery ; its  possessors  think  themselves  unappreciated 
by  the  "vulgum  pecus;”  their  talents,  which  are  ama- 
teurish to  a degree,  they  imagine  the  finest  of  their 
kind  the  world  ever  knew;  they  are  extravagant  in 


THE  MOUNT  OF  MERCURY 


89 


their  expenses,  full  of  envy,  curiosity,  frivolity  and 
false  reasoning;  the  women  who  flatter  them  lead  them 
to  perdition.  Accompanying  this  mount  are  twisted 
fingers,  spatulate  tips,  with  a long  phalanx  of  the 
thumb  (obstinacy)  and  a short  second  phalanx  (lack 
of  logic.) 

In  the  combinations  of  the  Mounts  of  the  Sun  with 
the  others  we  find : 

13.  “Mounts  of  the  Sun  and  Mercury  equally 
developed” — Firmness,  perspicacity,  love  of  scientific 
studies,  eloquence. 

13.  “Mounts  of  the  Sun  and  Venus” — Amiability 
and  an  intense  desire  to  please. 

14.  “Mounts  of  the  Sun  and  the  Moon” — Common 
sense,  blended  with  a healthy  flow  of  imagination  and 
an  unsophisticated  heart. 

15.  “Mounts  of  the  Sun  and  Mars” — ^Ardor  and 
perseverance  in  the  pursuit  of  art ; a love  of  intellectual 
truth  that  will  go  even  to  martyrdom. 

(4)  The  Mount  of  Mercury. 

“Absent” — ^An  absolute  inaptitude  for  the  exact 
sciences  or  any  business  necessitating  constant  calcu- 
lations. 

“Normal” — Eloquence,  commercial  aptitude,  fond- 


90 


THE  MOUNT  OF  MERCURY 


ness  for  the  exact  sciences  and  success  in  their  study, 
inventive  genius,  rapidity  in  thought  and  action, 
decided  taste  for  travel  and  the  occult  sciences — with 
'‘pointed  tips’’ — ^brilliant  oratory;  with  “square  tips” — 
logical  reasoning;  with  “spatulate  tips” — forcibility  in 
argument;  with  “short  fingers” — conciseness;  with 
“long  fingers” — mania  for  details,  fondness  for  anec- 
dotes. This  mount  is  found  in  the  hand  of  the  ath- 
lete, the  good  whist  player,  the  subtle  lawyer  who  does 
not  shirk  hard  work.  Its  possessors  are  good- 
humored,  seldom  sensually  inclined,  but  apt  to  marry 
quite  young  and  fond  of  the  society  of  children. 

The  first  joint  of  the  fingers  is  generally  knotted. 
When  quite  smooth  and  unlined,  this  mount,  normally 
developed,  indicates  constancy  and  determination. 

“Exaggerate” — Sure  indication  of  deceit,  treachery, 
thieving  disposition  and  pretentious  ignorance.  Its 
possessors  will  practice  occultism  for  the  money  they 
may  make  out  of  it;  they  will  be  humbugs  at  heart, 
although  sometimes  weakly  superstitious  themselves. 

Their  hands  will  have  long,  twisted  fingers,  easily 
thrown  backward;  their  palms  will  be  soft  and  the 
first  phalanx  of  their  thumb  long.  Does  not  obstinacy 
go  with  deceit? 


THE  MOUNT  OF  VENUS 


91 


'leaning  toward  the  mount  of  the  Sun/’  When 
normal  in  eminence — a favorable  sign,  promises  elo- 
quence and  scientific  aptitudes. 

^'Leaning  toward  the  percussion”  (the  outward  part 
of  the  hand) — Capacity  for  business. 

In  combination  with  another  prominent  mount,  it 
tells : 

16.  ^'Mounts  of  Mercury  and  Venus” — If  the  lines 
of  the  hand  are  good — piety,  easy  flow  of  language, 
affectionate  disposition,  love  of  the  beautiful;  if  the 
lines  are  bad  and  with  twisted  fingers  and  small  first 
phalanx  of  the  thumb — lack  of  perseverance,  fickle- 
ness, ill-balanced  mind. 

17.  ‘^Mounts  of  Mercury  and  the  Moon” — In  a 
good  hand,  talent  for  speculation  and  intuition  in 
scientific  matters;  in  a bad  hand,  wild  scheming,  gen- 
erally of  a dishonest  nature,  although  not  profitable 
for  the  schemer. 

18.  ‘'Mounts  of  Mercury  and  Mars” — Found  in 
the  hand  of  the  tactician;  quickness  of  thought;  in  a 
poor  hand — infidelity  in  religious  matters,  love  of  vac- 
uous argument. 

(5)  The  Mount  of  Venus. 

^‘Absent” — A sure  sign  of  cold  senses,  lack  of  ten- 


c:  THE  MOUNT  OF  VENUS 

derness  and  but  slight  interest  in  the  beautiful  features 
of  life,  nature  and  art. 

“Normal” — Pure  af¥ections,  tenderness,  charity, 
admiration  for  the  beautiful  and  love  of  honest  pleas- 
ure; a fondness  for  dancing  and  music  is  also  a char- 
acteristic. It  is  essentially  the  “Woman’s  Mount,” 
just  as  the  Mount  of  Jupiter  is  the  “Man’s  Mount.” 
In  fact,  men  with  a pronounced  mount  of  Venus  are 
generally  effeminate,  often  painfully  so,  although  some 
are  poets  and  artists  of  no  mean  talent.  With  an  exag- 
gerate mount  of  the  Moon  they  are  apt  to  be  worthless 
through  the  aberration  of  their  diseased  imagination 
and  affections. 

With  “this  mount  fully  (but  not  too  much)  pro- 
nounced,” go  soft,  fat  hands,  with  short  fingers,  with- 
out knots;  also  a thumb  with  the  first  phalanx  below 
the  average. 

“Exaggerate” — sure  sign  of  lasciviousness,  van- 
ity, wicked  coquetry,  heartless  selfishness  and  love  of 
pleasure  grown  to  excess. 

In  combination  with  the  mounts  we  find : 

19.  “Mounts  of  Venus  and  the  Moon” — Romantic 
Jove  affairs,  elopements.  If  the  lines  of  the  ^'>nd  are 


THE  MOUNT  OF  THE  MOON 


93 


bad — unnatural  instincts  in  affairs  of  the  heart,  incon* 
stancy. 

30.  ‘^Mounts  of  Venus  and  Mars’^ — Sensuality^ 
jealousy,  love  of  music  and  dancing  still  more  pro- 
nounced; fondness  for  rapid  conquests. 

(6)  The  Mount  of  the  Moon. 

‘‘Absent’’ — Lack  of  imagination,  of  intuition,  of 
taste  for  intellectual  studies  or  recreations,  of  inventive 
genius, 

“Normal”' — It  ought  in  that  case  to  be  fuller  near 
the  wrist  than  at  its  upper  part,  near  the  mount  of 
Mars;  its  characteristics  are  a healthy  imagination, 
chastity,  love  of  poetry,  of  mystery,  of  strange  music, 
of  travels.  Its  possessors  have  sometimes  the  gift  of 
prophecy,  but  they  are  often  troubled  by  dreams  and 
apt  to  be  hypochondriacal;  they  marry  in  an  unusual 
way;  they  are  somewhat  lazy  in  mind,  not  in  action. 
In  a good  hand  these  undesirable  features  are  neutral- 
ized and  rendered  harmless.  Thus,  short,  knotted 
fingers  are  counter  agents,  as  is  also  a strong  first  pha- 
lanx of  the  thumb. 

“Normal  with  fullness  in  the  exact  center’’ — Inter- 
nal or  intestinal  troubles. 


9^ 


THE  MOUNTS  OF  MARS 


‘‘Normal  with  fullness  at  the  top” — Biliousness, 
gout,  catarrh. 

“Exaggerate” — Diseased  imagination ; capricious- 
ness; irritability;  sadness;  superstition;  possible  insan- 
ity. Frequent  headaches  are  to  be  expected. 

“Not  high  but  narrow  and  long,”  running  down  the 
side  of  the  hand — resignation,  love  of  meditation,  lack 
of  force. 

In  combination  with  each  of  the  other  mounts  we 
find : 

“Mounts  of  the  Moon  and  Mars” — A love  for  navi- 
gation, and  if  the  hand  is  bad — folly  forthcoming. 

(The  other  combinations  are  found  in  the  sections 
devoted  to  the  other  mounts.) 

(7)  The  Mounts  of  Mars. 

As  I stated  before,  this  mount  is  practically 
“double,”  i.  e.,  the  main  proturberance  known  by  that 
name  has  its  location  just  between  the  mount  of  Mer- 
cury and  the  mount  of  the  Moon,  while  another  mount 
of  Mars — an  annex,  so  to  speak — has  its  place  at  the 
foot  of  the  mount  of  Jupiter.  I refer  now  only  to  that 
mount  of  Mars  above  the  Line  of  Head.  (See  Map 
of  the  Head). 

‘‘Absent” — ^Sure  sign  of  cowardfee. 


THE  MOUNTS  OF  MARS 


95 


‘‘Normal” — Courage,  self-possession,  generosity. 
With  a short  first  phalanx  of  the  thumb;  rather  bois- 
terous display  of  bravery,  loud  eloquence,  a soldier's 
gallantry  and  good  nature,  a little  rough  and  vulgar, 
but  straight  from  the  heart.  Its  possessors  are  great 
love-makers  and  are  attracted  by  statuesque,  dark- 
eyed and  dark-haired  women.  Their  hands  are  gen- 
erally hard,  with  broad  fingers  and  a small  second 
phalanx  of  the  thumb. 

“Exaggerate" — Violence,  insolence,  bloodthirsti- 
ness, lasciviousness  of  the  most  brutal  kind. 

For  the  combinations  of  the  mount  of  Mars  with 
each  of  the  others,  see  under  the  separate  headings. 

And  now  that  I have  cleared  the  ground  of  much 
that  has  seemed  dull  and  minute  in  details,  but  which 
it  was  absolutely  essential  to  lay  down  as  the  basis  of 
my  work,  I shall  begin  to  enter  with  you  into  the  vast 
domain  of  Chiromancy. 


CHAPTER  VIIL 


iHB  CHIROMANCY  OF  THE  HAND. 

THE  PRINCIPAL  LINES— THE  SIGNS— THE  MINOR 
LINES  ON  THE  MOUNTS. 

In  the  general  Map  of  the  Hand,  given  in  Chapter 
IL,  I indicated  plainly  the  location  of  the  ‘'fourteen^' 
leading  lines  one  is  apt  to  meet  with  when  examining 
a hand.  I also  gave  their  names  and  divided  them 
into  ^TrincipaF'  and  ‘^Secondary’'  in  accordance  with 
their  relative  importance  in  the  reading  of  hands.  In 
this  Chapter  VIII.  the  Fig.  13  gives  anew  the  fourteen 
lines  and  their  names,  but  I crave  permission  to  divide 
them  in  a somewhat  diflerent  wise,  placing  in  the  first 
category  of  seven  those  lines  that  but  very  seldom 
are  found  missing.  Besides,  I will  add  the  other 
names  under  which  they  are  often  found  designated  in 
leading  works  on  Chiromancy. 

The  Lines  Most  Generally  Found  in  the  Hand. 

1.  The  Line  of  Life,  or  ^'Vltal.’^ 

2.  The  Line  of  Heart,  or  ‘^Mensal.’* 

(96) 


THE  CHIROMANCY  OF  THE  HAND 


FIQ.  13.  THE  FOURTEEN  LINES  OF  THE  HANO^ 


m THE  PRINCIPAL  LINES 

3.  The  Line  of  Head,  or  ‘"Cerebral.” 


4.  The  Line  of  Fate,  or  “Line  of  Luck,”  or  “Sat- 
urnian” or  “Line  of  Saturn.” 

5.  The  line  of  the  Sun,  or  “Solar”  or  “Line  of 
Apollo,”  or  “Line  of  Brilliancy.” 

6.  The  First  Bracelet  of  the  Rascette. 

7.  The  Second  Bracelet  of  the  Rascette. 

In  the  second  category  I include: 

1.  The  Line  of  the  Liver,  or  “Line  of  Health”  or 
“Hepatica.” 

2.  The  “Via  Lasciva,”  or  “Milky  Way,”  or  “Ceph^ 
alic  Line.” 

3.  The  Girdle  of  Venus,  or  “Ring  of  Saturn.” 

4.  The  Line  of  Mars  or  “Sister  of  the  Line  of  Life/' 

5.  The  Line  of  Marriage,  or  “Line  of  Attachment.” 

6.  The  Third  Bracelet  of  the  Rascette. 

7.  The  Line  of  Intuition,  or  “Line  of  the  Moon,” 
or  “Line  of  Luna.” 

You’ll  notice  that  I never  designate  a line  by  any 
other  name  than  the  first  one  in  order. 

But  there  are  other  lines — so  varied  in  their  dimen- 
sions and  locations  and  so  exceptionally  met  with,  that 
no  special  name  has  been  found  for  them.  I divide 
them,  however,  into  two  great  categories: 


SIGNS  IN  THE  HANDS 


1.  ^^Lines  marking  the  mounts/’ 

2.  ‘‘Lines  of  Influence,”  starting  from  the  mount 
d Venus  or  at  least  from  the  Line  of  Life.  They  have 
also  been  called  (erroneously  I think)  “Worry  Lines.” 

3.  “Lines  of  Emergency,”  in  some  cases  also  called 
“Lines  of  Influence,”  met  with  anywhere  in  the  palm, 
but  not  touching  the  mount  of  Venus  or  the  Line  of 
Life. 

A fourth  category,  that  will  have  a chapter  of  this 
work  all  to  itself,  includes  “The  Finger  and  Thumb 
Lines,”  consisting  of  the  lines  traced  on  the  three  pha- 
langes of  the  Fingers  and  the  two  (outer)  phalanges 
of  the  Thumb.  Finally,  besides  lines,  there  are  a 
number  of 

Signs  in  the  Hands, 

either  touching  the  fourteen  principal  lines  or  marked, 
by  themselves,  in  the  palm  and  on  the  finger  and 
thumb  phalanges,  and  not  connected  with  any  lines. 
Of  these  signs,  eight  are  recognized  as  being  more 
frequently  met  with;  they  are: 

1.  The  “Spots”  or  “Dots”  (Fig.  14-11). 

2.  The  “Islands”  (Fig.  14-12) ; seldom  to  be  looked 
for  outside  of  the  lines. 

3.  Tlie  “Squares”  (Fig.  14-18). 


1, 


100  SIGNS  IN  THE  HANDS 

4.  The  '^Stars’’  (Fig.  14-14). 

5.  The  ^^Crosses”  (Fig.  14-15). 

6.  The  ^‘Circles’^  (Fig.  14-16). 

7.  The  ‘Triangles’’  (Fig-  14-17). 

8.  The  “Grilles”  or  “Gridirons”  (Fig.  14-18). 

To  the  list  of  these  signs  I might  add  many  strange 
figures — for  example,  the  Planetary  signs,  which  I 
indicated  on  the  Map  of  the  Hand  (Fig.  1),  as  desig- 
nating the  mounts  in  ancient  works  on  Chiromancy. 
Sometimes  other  mysterious  figures  are  traced  on  the 
palm  or  fingers  or  thumbs.  I’ll  lay  down,  further,  the 
rules  that  will  allow  you  to  reach,  almost  infallibly,  the 
meaning  of  these,  in  appearance,  unaccountable  mark- 
ings. 

What  I am  desirous  to  examine  now  with  you,  as  a 
kind  of  finer  transition  between  the  study  of  the 
mounts  and  tlie  study  of  the  Lines,  is  the  effect  pro- 
duced on  each  mount. 

1,  By  the  existence  of  minor,  unclassified  lines. 

2.  By  their  being  marked  with  any  of  the  eight 
signs  enumerated  above  or  with  one  of  the  Planetary 
signs. 

The  primary  principle,  in  the  matter  of  the  lines 
on  the  mounts,  is  that  they  have  an  effect  similar  to 


FIG.  14.  THE  SIGNS  AND  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  LINES- 


SIGNS  IN  THE  HANDS 


101 

I 

i 


m ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  JUPITER 

an  elevation  of  the  mounts.  In  other  wofi^is,  one  line 
on  the  place  vHhere  a mount  ought  to  be  visible,  but 
fails  to  materialize,  is  to  be  considered  ts  its  equivalent 
If  the  lines  are  three  or  more  in  number  the  effect 
would  be  the  same  as  if  the  mount  was  exaggerate  in 
its  development. 

It  is  to  be  wished  that  the  lines  be  marked  ‘^length- 
wise”— i.  e.,  in  the  direction  of  the  fingers,  not  “cross- 
wise;” for  in  the  lat«^r  case  they  are  apt  to  cut  the  reg- 
ular (main)  lines  that  reach  the  mount,  and  this  will 
be  found  to  be.  a very  undesirable  omen. 

Let  us  now  take  each  mount  by  itself.  Whenever 
I do  not  state  otherwise  the  lines  are  perpendicular,  oi 
marked  lengthwise. 

The  Mount  of  Jupiter. 

“A  Single  Line” — Success. 

“Many  Confused  Lines” — Persistent  but  unluckj 
efforts  toward  success. 

“Confused  Lines  crossing  each  other” — Loose 
morals. 

“Capillary  (very  fine)  lines” — A wound  on  the  head. 

“A  spot” — A ruined  position,  loss  oi  fortune  and 
reputation. 

“Cross” — ^A  happy  marriage. 


ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  JUPITER  lOS 

Star’’ — ^Ambition  and  love  fully  satisfied. 

‘^A  Cross  and  Star  together” — A brilliant  marriage. 

"'A  Square” — Sober  sense  guiding  one’s  ambition. 

‘‘A  Circle” — Success. 

‘‘A  Triangle” — Diplomatic  cleverness;  a subtle  poli- 
tician. 

‘^A  Grille  or  Gridiron” — Domineering  spirit,  exag- 
gerate vanity,  superstition. 

The  Planetary  signs  on  this  mount  are  to  be  inter- 
preted as  follows : 

‘The  Sign  of  Jupiter” — ^An  intensity  in  the  good 
qualities  of  the  mount. 

‘The  Sign  of  Saturn” — Caution;  love  of  occult 
sciences. 

“The  Sign  of  the  Sun” — Eloquence  and  love  of  the 
fine  arts. 

“The  Sign  of  Mercury” — Administrative  ability. 

“The  Sign  of  Venus” — Dignified,  deep  and  constant 
love. 

“The  Sign  of  the  Moon” — ^Ambition  led  astray  by 
imagination. 

“The  Sign  of  Mars” — ^The  military  commander’s 
genius. 


ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  SATURN 


m 

The  Mount  of  Saturn. 

“A  single  line” — Very  great  luck. 

“A  number  of  lines” — ^The  more  numerous  th« 
lines,  the  greater  the  ill-luck. 

“A  number  of  small  lines  scaling  the  mount  ladder- 
wise  in  the  direction  of  Jupiter” — Gradual  rise  in  life 
toward  public  honors. 

“Capillary  cross  lines” — A wound  on  the  breast. 

“A  Spot” — Certain  evil  possibilities,  the  nature  of 
which  can  be  traced  on  the  Line  of  Head  or  the  Line 
of  Fate. 

“A  Cross” — ^Sterility;  tendency  to  make  evil  use  of 
occult  sciences. 

“A  Star” — A very  ugly  mark,  threatening  the  sub- 
ject with  the  scaffold,  after  committing  a murder. 
(Must  be  verified  elsewhere.) 

“A  Square” — ^Generally  a protection  against  fatali- 
ties. 

“A  Square  with  red  dots  at  the  corners” — Preserva- 
tion from  fire. 

“A  Circle” — A good  sign,  rarely  met  with. 

“A  Triangle” — Special  aptitude  for  the  occult 


ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  SATURN  105 

sciences,  dangerously  applied  if,  with  this  sign,  is 
found  “a  star  on  the  third  phalanx  of  the  middle 
finger.” 

“A  Grille  or  Gridiron” — Lack  of  luck  through  life. 

“The  Sign  of  Saturn” — Intense  devotion  to  the 
study  of  all  things  mysterious — religion,  philosophy, 
occult  sciences,  etc. 

“The  Sign  of  Jupiter” — Desire  to  gain  fame  through 
discoveries  in  the  realm  of  philosophy. 

“The  Sign  of  the  Sun” — A love  for  artistic  beauty 
in  nature  and  fine  language  in  expressing  one’s 
thoughts. 

“The  Sign  of  Mercury’’— Aptitude  for  high  mathe- 
matics and  astronomy.  A fine  combination  for  a 
scientist’s  hand. 

“The  Sign  of  Venus” — ^A  mixture  of  passion  and 
despondency  in  the  subject’s  love  of  the  opposite  sex. 

“The  Sign  of  Mars” — Combative  spirit  in  the  dis- 
cussion of  religious  or  philosophical  problems;  found 
in  the  hand  of  the  old-time  inquisitor  and  persecutor. 

The  Mount  of  the  Sun. 

“A  single  deep  line” — Wealth  and  fame. 

“Two  lines” — Real  talent  but  poor  success. 


106  ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  THE  SUN 

“Many  confused  lines” — Artistic  tendencies,  unfor* 
tunately  interfered  with  by  scientific  instincts;  inspir- 
ation stopped  midway  to  realization. 

“Capillary  Cross  lines” — A wound  on  either  arm. 

“A  Spot”^ — Danger  of  losing  reputation  and  social 
standing. 

“A  Cross,  with  a Line  of  the  Sun” — Fortune  in 
prospect. 

“A  Cross  without  Line  of  the  Sun” — Artistic  blun- 
ders marring  success. 

“A  Star,  with  a Line  of  the  Sun” — Great  fame  due 
to  genius  and  hard  work. 

“A  Star,  virith  a Line  of  the  Sun  and  several  Lines  on 
the  mount”  —Sure  wealth. 

“A  Star,  without  a Line  of  the  Sun” — Fame  after 
many  risks  incurred;  wealth  coming  too  late  to  secure 
happiness. 

“A  Square” — Business  ability  protecting  the  artist 
from  being  exploited. 

“A  Circle” — Much  fame. 

“A  Triangle” — Science  assisting  art  to  success. 

“A  Grille  or  Gridiron” — An  almost  insane  vanity, 
sometimes  culminating  in  real  lunacy;  very  little  tal- 
ent magnified  tenfold  by  one’s  self. 


ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  THE  SUN 


101 


‘The  Sign  of  the  Sun’’ — 'Artistic  genius  intensified 
and  bringing  great  wealth  and  glory  to  its  possessor. 

‘The  Sign  of  Saturn” — A tendency  to  weirdness  in 
the  manifestation  of  artistic  talent.  “In  a bad  hand” 
— misuse  of  talent  in  the  direction  of  occult  sciences. 

“The  Sign  of  Jupiter” — Eloquence  in  statesmanlike 
discourses. 

“The  Sign  of  Mercury” — Celebrity  due  to  elo- 
quence. “In  a bad  hand” — the  clever  counterfeiter’s 
characteristic. 

“The  Sign  of  Venus” — Idealization  in  the  love  of 
poetry  and  art.  “In  a bad  hand” — ^The  seduction  of 
talent  used  to  reach  evil  ends. 

“The  Sign  of  the  Moon” — An  increase,  often  an 
excess,  of  imagination  In  artistic  or  literary  work; 
sometimes  to  the  point  of  incoherence. 

“The  Sign  of  Mars” — Found  once  in  a while  in  the 
hand  of  a painter,  or  writer,  of  military  subjects. 

The  Mount  of  Mercury. 

“One  single  line” — Unexpected  financial  good  for- 
tune. 

“One  single  cross  line  running  up  to  the  mount  of 
the  Sun” — Pseudo-occultism  practiced  for  the  sol^ 
purpose  of  making  victims  of  credulous  dupes. 


108 


ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  MERCURY 


^‘One  single  cross  line  with  an  island  in  it  cutting 
the  line  of  the  Sun’' — Ill-luck  undeserved. 

‘^Many  mixed  lines” — Shrewdness;  scientific  apti- 
tude. 

^'Several  mixed  lines  reaching  as  low  as  the  Line 
of  the  Heart” — Generosity  in  the  spending  of  money. 

'‘Several  lines,  and  besides  a prominent  mount  of  the 
Moon” — An  aptitude  for  medical  studies;  sometimes 
a belief  that  one  is  afflicted  with  all  the  diseases  one 
studies;  still  it  is  found  in  most  physicians’  hands. 

"Several  lines  and  besides  a prominent  mount  of  the 
Moon  in  a woman’s  hand” — Certainty  that  the  subject 
will  marry  a doctor. 

"Many  very  short  lines  in  a woman’s  hand” — Chat- 
tering habits. 

"Capillary  cross  lines”— Wounds  on  the  legs. 

Here  is  the  proper  place  to  mention  the  existence  of 
lines  on  the  Percussion,  that  is,  upon  that  part  of 
the  outer  side  of  the  hand  that  extends  along  the 
mount  of  Mercury  (see  Map  of  the  Hand).  It  is  very 
important  not  to  confound  these  lines  on  the  Percus- 
sion with  the  lines  on  the  neighboring  mount.  They 
will  be  found  fully  discussed  in  my  chapter  on  the 
"Line  of  Marriage.” 


ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  MERCURY 


m 


Returning  to  the  mount  of  Mercury,  let  me  read 
you  the  meaning  of  the  various  signs  marked  on  it. 

‘'A  Spot'’ — Failure  in  business. 

Cross” — Thieving  disposition. 

‘‘A  Star” — Persistent  dishonesty. 

''A  Square” — Preservation  from  heavy  financial 
losses. 

“A  Circle” — Terrible  death  by  water. 

‘‘A  Triangle” — Shrewdness  in  politics. 

‘‘A  Grille  or  Gridiron” — Prognostic  of  violent  death 
due  to  some  thieving  enterprise  on  the  part  of  the 
subject. 

''The  Sign  of  Mercury” — Intensifies  the  good  or 
bad  features  otherwise  shown  in  the  mount. 

"The  Sign  of  Jupiter” — Fame  and  power  reached 
by  science  or  eloquence.  "In  a bad  hand” — False 
pride  leading  to  theft. 

"The  Sign  of  Saturn” — Talent,  tinged  with  sadness. 
"In  a bad  hand” — Occult  sciences  used  to  an  evil  end, 
especially  to  deceive. 

"The  Sign  of  the  Sun” — Talent  for  astronomy  and 
natural  philosophy;  intense  admiration  of  God’s  crea- 
tion. "In  a bad  hand” — Talent  in  art  and  literature 


no 


ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  VENUS 


used  for  shameful  purposes,  and  to  rob  people  of  their 
hard-earned  money. 

‘The  Sign  of  Venus’" — Sensible  love  that  thinks  of 
the  future  of  both  parties.  ‘Tn  a bad  hand” — Venal, 
despicable  love. 

“The  Sign  of  the  Moon” — Wild,  scheming  disposi- 
tion that  will  deceive  both  the  subject  and  his  friends 
or  associates. 

“The  Sign  of  Mars” — Violence  and  theft  combined; 
the  highwayman’s  characteristic,  in  a bad  hand,  of 
course. 

The  Mount  of  Venus. 

“Two  or  three  lines” — Ingratitude. 

“A  quantity  of  lines,  much  crossed” — Passionate 
disposition. 

“These  many  lines  on  a flat,  hard  mount” — Sure 
characteristics  of  the  worn  out  debauchee. 

Spot” — Some  serious  disease  connected  with  a 
love  affair.  \/  P 

“A  Cross” — A single  and  sadly  terminating  love. 

“A  Cross  in  conjunction  with  one  on  the  mount  of 
Jupiter” — A happy  love  affair. 

“A  Star  at  the  base” — Misfortune,  aue  to  love  for  a 
person  of  the  opposite  sex. 


ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  VENUS 


111 


Star  very  near  the  second  phalanx  of  the  thumb’' 
— A marriage,  or  ''liaison,”  that  will  be  the  bane  of  the 
subject's  whole  life. 

"A  square  close  to  but  not  touching  the  Line  of 
Life” — Prognostic  of  imprisonment. 

"A  Circle”  (very  rare) — Chronic  ill-health. 

"A  Triangle” — Calculation  (in  a bad  hand,  venality) 
in  love  affairs;  found  in  the  hand  of  the  "marriage  de 
convenance.” 

"A  Grille  or  Gridiron” — Lasciviousness  and  un- 
healthy curiosity. 

"The  Sign  of  V enus” — Increased  qualities  or  defects 
otherwise  shown  by  the  mount. 

"The  Sign  of  Jupiter” — Love  for  people  who  flatter 
one's  vanity. 

"The  Sign  of  Mercury” — Morbid,  jealous,  unjust 
love. 

"The  Sign  of  the  Sun” — Idealistic,  platonic  love. 

"The  Sign  of  Mercury” — Mercenary  love. 

"The  Sign  of  the  Moon” — Erotic  imagination.  A 
thoroughly  bad  sign. 

"The  Sign  of  Mars” — Brutal  disposition  in  all  love 
affairs;  the  animal  instincts  overpowering  the  human 


nature. 


112  ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  THE  MOON 
The  Mount  of  the  Moon. 

‘‘One  single  line” — A strange  presentiment  of  evil 

“One  single  line  through  the  mount  with  a short  one 
crossing  it” — Tendency  to  chronic  rheumatism  or 
gout. 

“Many  lines” — Visions,  insomnia,  nightmares,  ten- 
dency to  insanity,  inconstancy  in  love  affairs;  the  more 
numerous  the  lines  the  more  numerous  the  worries. 

“Capillary  lines” — Wounds  on  the  body. 

“A  Spot” — Some  disease  of  the  nervous  system, 
from  simple  hysteria  to  folly. 

“A  Cross” — Small,  dreamy,  superstitious  disposi- 
tion ; large — a deceiving  nature. 

“A  Star” — Hypocrisy;  danger  of  death  by  drown- 
ing. 

“A  Star  in  a prominent  mount,  with  the  Line  of 
Head  corning  down  into  the  mount” — Suicide  by 
drowning. 

“A  Star  connected  by  a small  line  with  the  Line  of 
Life” — (In  a bad  hand) — hysteria  of  a dangerous  char- 
acter. 

“A  Square” — Imagination  controlled  by  good  judg- 
ment. 

“A  Circle” — Danger  of  death  by  drowning. 


ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  MARS 


113 


“A  Triangle” — Wisdom  in  the  use  of  high  imagin- 
ative faculties. 

“A  Grille  or  Gridiron” — Chronic  discontent;  melan- 
cholia. 

“The  Sign  of  the  Moon” — Diseased  imagination; 
nightmares;  folly. 

“The  Sign  of  Jupiter” — Dreams  of  extravagant 
power  and  position. 

“The  Sign  of  Saturn” — Religious  or  superstitious 
semi-insanity. 

“The  Sign  of  the  Sun” — Extravagance  in  poetical 
and  artistic  manifestations. 

“The  Sign  of  Mercury” — ^The  taste  for  speculation 
pushed  to  extremes  and  to  financial  ruin. 

“The  Sign  of  Venus” — A constant  search  after 
strange,  new  sensations. 

“The  Sign  of  Mars” — Brain  fever  to  be  feared;  vio- 
lent insanity. 

The  Upper  Mount  of  Mars. 

Here,  again,  as  stated  in  Chapter  VII.,  I shall  only 
treat  of  that  particular  mount  of  Mars  stretching 
between  the  mount  of  Mercury  and  the  mount  of  the 
Moon. 

“One  sbgle  line” — Courage,  “sang  froid.” 


114  ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  MARS 

“A  number  of  lines” — Violent  temper,  lascivious- 
ness, brutality  in  love;  always  considered  as  a very 
bad  omen  for  the  general  success  of  the  subject. 

“Capillary  Cross  Lines” — Wounds  through  vital 
organs. 

“A  Spot” — A wound  in  a fight. 

“A  Cross” — Danger  from  a quarrelsome  or  stub- 
born disposition. 

“A  Star” — Homicide,  committed  by  the  subject 
through  a furious  fit  of  anger  or  jealousy. 

“A  Square” — A hot  temper  held  within  bounds  by 
reason. 

“A  Circle — Rare,  very  unfavorable  sign. 

“A  Triangle” — Excellence  in  military  tactics. 

“A  Grille  or  Gridiron” — Great  danger  of  violent 
death. 

The  Sign  of  Mars — Intensifies  the  merits  and 
demerits  of  the  mount. 

The  Sign  of  Jupiter — The  characteristic  of  the 
insatiable  conquerors;  met  also  in  the  hands  of  thte 
fashionable  “lady-killers.” 

The  Sign  of  Saturn — Disposition  at  once  morbid 
and  murderous;  found  in  the  poisoner’s  hand,  when 


ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  MARS  115 

revenge,  not  desire  for  lucre,  incites  him,  or  her,  to 
crime. 

The  Sign  of  the  Sun — Love  of  show,  of  vivid  col- 
ors ; childish  vanity,  satisfied  with  a bright  uniform  or 
gown. 

The  Sign  of  Mercury — Love  of  conquest  and  tri- 
umph in  the  field  of  business;  found  in  the  hands  of 
the  great  plungers  on  the  exchanges  or  the  turf;  of  all 
born  gamblers. 

The  Sign  of  Venus — ^Violence  in  love  matters. 

The  Sign  of  the  Moon — Violent  insanity  is  threat- 
ened. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE  LINE  OP  LIFE. 

And  now  that  we  have  reached  the  study  of  the 
lines,  it  is  my  privilege  and  pleasure  to  submit  to  you 
a classification  of  my  own,  which,  I know,  will  help 
you  considerably  in  the  rather  arduous  task  of  remem- 
bering these  hundreds  of  observations  that  constitute 
— if  not  by  any  means  the  whole  of  the  science  of  chir- 
osophy — at  least  the  fairly  solid  basis  upon  which  to 
erect  a durable  edifice  of  more  than  elementary  knowl- 
edge. 

In  my  years  of  constant  study — not  only  of  hands, 
but  of  all  and  every  work,  in  Latin,  French,  Italian, 
German  and  English,  devoted  to  Palmistry,  from  the 
XVth  century  down  to  the  present  day,  I have 
endeavored  to  discover  some  logical  method  that  could 
assist  memory  in  the  storing  of  such  a vast  amount  of 
information.  I believe  that  in  the  previous  chapters  I 
have  proved  myself  practical  and  simple  in  my 
arrangement  of  details;  and  now,  in  the  much  more 
complicated  domain  we  are  entering  together,  here  is 


THE  LINE  OF  LIFE 


11? 


the  system  I have  evolved  and  which  I submit  to  your 
kind  and  considerate  attention. 

In  the  study  of  each  of  the  principal  Lines  I shall 
consider  ‘Tour’’  different  categories  of  observations. 
Therein  will  be  grouped  respectively  all  reliable  indi- 
cations concerning: 

1.  “The  Line  by  itself;”  including  its  color, 
breadth,  length,  character,  starting  and  terminating 
points,  direction  and  breaks. 

2.  “The  Line  in  its  connection  with  other  main 
Lines.” 

3.  “The  Forks  and  Tassels  at  its  extremities.” 

4.  “Its  Branches.” 

5.  “The  Signs  in,  or  on,  it  and  its  extremities. 

This  close  and  comprehensive  classification  now 

^aid  down  as  my  rule  of  action  I proceed  at  once  with 
The  Line  of  Life. 

Being,  without  comparison,  the  most  important  of 
the  Lines  of  the  hand,  this  Line  is  found,  very  natur- 
ally, at  the  base  of  the  largest  mount — that  of  Venus — 
which  it  girdles;  and  this  mount  of  Venus,  being 
nothing  else  than  the  third  phalanx,  or  ball,  of  the 
thumb,  it  so  happens  that  the  Regulator  of  Life  is 
marked  at  the  base  of  this  marvelously  useful  and  mys* 


118 


THE  LINE  OF  LIFE 


terious  little  member,  the  two  other  phalanges  of 
which  represent  respectively  ‘Will  Power^’  and  “Brain 
Power  or  Reason.”  Life — Will — Logic,  do  not  these 
three  words  comprise  a whole  epitome  of  the  human 
existence?  And  is  this  not  an  extraordinary  coinci- 
dence worthy  of  the  natural  philosopher’s  closest 
attention? 

But  I will  stop  right  here  and  now,  before  I have 
violated  my  pledge,  scrupulously  kept  so  far,  not  to 
indulge  in  any  scientific  theories — or  vagaries,  as 
unkind  adversaries  might  call  them — but  to  stick  to 
my  task,  i.  e.,  to  place  in  your  possession  “facts,”  mere 
“facts”  and  nothing  else  but  “facts.”  So  I shall 
examine 


FIG.  15.  ABOUT  THE  LINE  OF  LIFE- 


THE  LINE  OF  LIFE 


119 


I.  The  Line  of  Life,  by  Itself. 

The  shorter  the  line,  the  shorter  the  life. 

Although  appearing  to  be  short  the  life  may  be  still 
sustained  by  a good  line  of  Head  and  a strong  first 
phalanx  of  the  thumb;  soon  will  appear  in  that  case 
minute  lines,  or  ''capillaries,’'  at  the  termination. 

"Pale  and  broad” — 111  health,  bad  instincts,  feeble 
and  envious  character. 

"Thick  and  red” — Violence  and  brutality  of  mind. 

"Of  various  thickness  throughout  its  course” — Cap- 
ricious and  fickle  temper. 

"Thin  and  meager  in  the  center” — 111  health  during 
portion  of  life.  "A  spot  terminating  this  thinness” — 
Sudden  death. 

"Chained  or  linked” — Delicacy  of  constitution. 

"Chained  under  the  mount  of  Jupiter” — Bad  health 
in  early  life. 

"Coming  out  in  a great  circle  into  the  palm  of  the 
hand,  and  reaching,  or  ending,  close  to  the  mount  of 
the  Moon” — Long  life. 

"Commencing  under  the  mount  of  Jupiter” — Great 
ambition,  often  great  honors  and  success.  (Very  rare.) 

"Ceasing  abruptly  with  a few  little  parallel  lines” — 
sudden  death.  (Fig,  15-b.) 


THE  LINE  OF  LIFE 

break  in  the  line’’ — An  illness. 

^'Broken  up  and  laddered” — Period  of  continued  ill 
health.  (Fig.  15-c.) 

^^A  break  in  both  hards” — Great  danger  of  death, 
^^especially  if  the  lower  branch  of  the  break  turns 
inward  toward  the  mount  of  Venus.” 

II.  The  Line  of  Life  in  Connection  with  the  Other 
Principal  Lines. 

‘^Closely  connected  with  the  line  of  Head” — Life 
guided  by  reason  and  prudence,  but  extreme  sensitive-^ 
ness  about  everything  affecting  self. 

^'Lines  of  Life,  Head  and  Heart  all  joined  together 
at  the  commencement” — Terrible  sign  of  misfortune 
and  violent  death. 

^^Separated  from,  instead  of  joined  to,  the  Line  of 
Head,  especially  when  the  space  between  is  filled  with 
a mesh  of  little  lines  and  the  Lines  of  Life  and  Head 
are  full  and  red” — Foolhardiness,  amounting  almost 
to  folly. 

The  same  characteristics,  ‘Vhen  the  Line  of  Life  is 
deeply  hollowed  and  reddish” — Brusqueness. 

''A  medium  space  between  it  and  the  Line  of  Head” 
— Energy  and  go-ahead  spirit;  dot  much  prudence. 
(Fig,  17-c.) 


THE  LINE  OF  LIFE 


121 


^Xying  close  to  the  thumb,  especially  if  the  lines  of 
liver  and  the  Head  are  joined  by  a star” — Sterility. 

‘Hf  a broken  end  of  the  Line  joins  the  Line  of  Fate” 
— Great  danger  to  life  which  has  been  averted,  or  will 
be  averted  by  good  luck. 


III.  Forks  and  Tassels  at  the  Extremities  of  the  Line 
of  Life. 

^'Very  simple  and  clear  fork  at  the  commencement, 
in  a good  hand” — Justice  of  soul  and  fidelity. 

‘'Forked  at  the  commencement,  in  a poor  hand” — 
Vanity,  indecision,  fantasy. 

“A  fork  at  the  commencement,  starting  from  the 
side  of  the  hand” — Inconstancy  (Fig.  16-£.) 


m 


THE  LINE  OF  LIFE 


fork  going  to  the  Line  of  the  Head”— Faithful- 
ness. 

fork  in  the  very  center  of  the  line” — ^A  warning 
ef  diminishing  forces. 

‘‘Forking  about  the  center,  one  branch  toward  the 
base  of  the  mount  of  the  Moon” — In  a “firm  hand,” 
restlessness,  travel;  in  “a  flabby  hand,  with  sloping 
Line  of  Head,”  restlessness  satisfied  in  vice. 

“Forked  at  the  end” — Overwork  in  old  age  result- 
ing in  poverty.  (Fig.  15-e.) 

“Forked  at  the  end,  the  two  forks  widely  separated” 
— The  life  will  end  in  poverty  far  from  the  country  of 
one's  birth.  (Fig.  15-e.) 

“Tasseled  at  its  extremity” — Poverty  and  loss  of 
money  late  in  life,  if  not  earlier.  (Fig.  15-d.) 

“Tasseled  at  its  extremity,  a tassel  going  to  the 
mount  of  the  Moon”~Prospective  insanity.  (Fig. 
15-c.) 

IV.  Branches  From  the  Line  of  Life. 

“Branches  ascending  from  the  Line” — Ambition 
and  generally  riches.  (Fig.  17-c,  c,  c.) 

“Branches  ascending  through  the  other  lines”—- 
Success  brought  about  by  the  personal  merit  of  the 
subject. 


THE  LINE  OF  LIFE 


m 


^^Branch  arising  from  the  starting  point  and  reach- 
ing the  mount  of  Jupiter” — Ambition,  success,  egot- 
ism. (Fig.  16-d.) 

‘'Branch  rising  from  a black  spot  on  the  Line”— 
Nervous  complaint  left  by  some  disease. 

“Branches  descending” — Loss  of  health  and  wealth. 
(Fig.  17d,  d,  d.) 

V.  Signs  on  the  Line  of  Life  or  at  its  Extremities. 

“A  bar  across  the  broken  ends” — Preservation  from 
illness.  (Fig.  16-b.) 

“Continually  crossed  by  little  cutting  bars”“Con- 
tinued  but  not  severe  illness. 

“Black  spots” — Always  indicate  disease;  “if  very 
deep” — Murder  (?),  sudden -death ; Vwith  a dry  skin 
and  a prominent  or  ragged  mount  o£  the  Moon”-r- 
Nervous  troubles. 

“Circles  and  spots  on  the  Line” — Blindness,  some- 
times murder  (?). 

“A  cross  at  the  commencement  of  the  line,  espec- 
ially if  a point  be  also  found  at  the  same  place” — ^Acci- 
dent in  early  life. 

“A  cross  at  the  end  of  the  line” — Unmerited 
reverses  in  old  age;  a man  of  ability  and  character 
threatened  with  ill  health. 


114  THE  LINE  OF  EIFE. 

**A  cross  cut  by  the  branches’* — Mental  infirmity 
with  grave  fear  of  death. 

‘•Broken  inside  a square” — Recovery  from  a serious 
illness.  (Fig.  16-a.) 

“An  island  at  the  very  beginning  of  the  Bine”— 
Some  mystery  of  the  birth,  hereditary  disease  or  other 
fatality. 

“An  island  on  the  line” — Illness  through  some 
excess  shown  elsewhere  in  the  hand. 

“An  island  on  the  line  with  the  Bine  of  the  Bivei, 
wavy’  ’ — Biliousness  and  indigestion. 


Pie.  17.  ABOUT  THE  LINE  OF  LIFE. 


CHAPTER  X. 


LINES,  OR  RAYS  OF  INFLUENCE. 

These  lines,  often  quite  short,  or  indistinct,  or  both, 
must  be  minutely  searched,  and  when  found,  exam- 
ined, with  a mind  wideawake  and  logical.  For,  in 
them  lies  much  that  is  particularly  difficult  to  fathom 
in  the  science  of  hand  reading;  and  without  a close 
acquaintance  with  these  '‘Lines  of  Influence’’  the  indi- 
cations gathered  from  the  Chirognomy  of  the  hand, 
from  its  mounts  and  the  study  of  the  fourteen  main 
lines,  may  prove  fatally  incorrect. 

For,  allow  me  to  lay  down  the  following  rule  that 
applies  invariably  to  all  examinations  of  hands  when- 
ever pursued  in  accordance  with  the  true  principles  of 
Chirosophy:  "An  erroneous  reading  is  always  due 
to  incomplete  study  on  the  part  of  the  examiner.” 
Either  he,  or  she,  has  come  too  hastily  to  the  conclu- 
sion communicated  to  the  subject  through  basing  the 
said  conclusion  upon  isolated  observations;  or  an  act- 
ual mistake  has  been  made,  just  as  when  we  attempt  to 

(i?5> 


126  LINES  OR  RAYS  OF  INFLUENCE 

translate  a complicated  text  from  a language  we  are 
not  familiar  with  and  fail  to  reach  the  correct  meaning 
of  a word  or  sentence.  What  do  we  do  in  such  a case, 
but  hunt  up  a dictionary,  or  may  be  a teacher,  and 
consult  either  or  both  with  dilligent  attention,  until 
we  have  managed  to  correct  our  own  blunder,  becom- 
ing thus  all  the  more  proficient  to  meet  and  triumph 
over  ever-recurring  difficulties.  But  there  is  some- 
thing more  to  say  in  the  matter  of  these  ‘‘Lines  of 
Influence.” 

They  are  infinite  in  their  number  and  shape,  direc- 
tion and  length.  There  is  no  use  trying  to  give,  in  any 
work  of  this  kind  more  than  a partial  list  with  descrip- 
tions and  interpretations.  Concerning  these  marks 
frequently  met  with,  this  Chapter  contains  all  you  need 
in  that  way.  But  for  other  such  lines,  you  will  have 
to  depend  upon  the  shrewdness  of  your  judgment,  that 
will  tell  you — when  sufficiently  trained  in  the  science 
of  palmistry — ^what  such  or  such  short  line,  from  the 
mount  of  Venus  or  the  Line  of  Life,  to  such  or  such  a 
point  on  the  palm  may  actually  mean,  as  a modifier 
or  sustainer  of  the  other,  more  general,  indications. 
The  surroundings,  the  starting  and  terminating  points 
are  guide  posts  that  cannot  fail  to  show  you  the  waj^, 


LINES  OR  RAYS  OF  INFLUENCE 


127 


to  the  desired  goal,  if  you  only  read  them  intelligently. 
Palmistry  is  not  a mechanical  trade  that  any  book  or 
teacher  can  inculcate,  if  the  pupil’s  brain  be  not  con- 
stantly at  work,  meeting,  and  wrestling  with,  unfore- 
seen contingencies. 

To  facilitate  the  assimilation  of  the  knowledge  here- 
in imparted  concerning  a number  of  ‘‘lines  of  Influ- 
ences” I divide  them  into: 

1.  Lines  or  Rays,  starting  “from  the  Mount  of 
Venus  or  the  Line  of  Life  and  connecting  either  with 
other  mounts.” 

2.  Lines  or  Rays,  “starting  from  the  Line  of  Life 
and  connecting  it  with  one  of  the  fourteen  principal 
Lines.’’ 

3.  Lines  or  Rays,  “starting  with  a sign”  from 
either  the  Mount  of  Venus  or  the  Line  of  Life. 

4.  Lines  or  Rays,  starting  from  either  the  Mount 
of  Venus  or  the  Line  of  Life,  and  “terminating  with  a 
sign.” 

L From  the  I^ount  of  Venus  or  the  Line  of  Life  to 
Another  Mount. 

“Rays  across  the  hand  from  the  mount  of  Venus”— 
Worries  and  troubles,  generally  caused  by  others. 
“Rays  ascending  to  the  mount  of  Jupiter”~Aiaabi- 


128  LINES  OR  RAYS  OF  INFLUENCE 

tion,  egotism,  success;  a step  higher  in  one’s  position 
at  the  age  indicated  by  the  point  at  which  it  leaves  the 
Line  of  Life.  Strengthened  if  it  ends  with  a cross  on 
the  mount  of  Jupiter. 

‘‘Rays  ascending  to  the  mount  of  Saturn” — Acci- 
dent from  a quadruped;  if  ‘'with  branches/’  the  acci- 
dent will  prove  fatal. 

“Ray  rising  to  the  mount  of  Saturn  and  accompany- 
ing the^  Line  of  Fate” — Increase  of  wealth  due  to  the 
subject’s  own  determined  efforts. 

“Clear,  direct  ray  from  the  Line  to  the  mount  of  the 
Sun” — Celebrity  in  accordance  with  the  type  of  the 
hand. 

“Indistinct  ray  from  the  Line  to  the  mount  of  the 
Sun” — Obstruction  to  the  possible  celebrity  through 
some  defect  to  be  found  in  the  hand. 

“Ray  from  the  Line  of  Life  to  the  mount  of  Mer- 
cury”— Great  success  in  business  or  science,  according 
to  the  style  of  the  hand. 

“Ray  of  tassel  at  the  extremity  of  the  Line  of  Life 
going  to  the  mount  of  the  Moon” — Great  danger  of 
folly  resulting  from  overwork  and  poverty. 

“Ray  ascending  to  the  lower  mount  of  Mars  (the 


LINES  OR  RAYS  OF  INFLUENCE 


129 


one  under  the  mount  of  Jupiter)’' — Danger  brought 
about  by  passion. 

Ray  ''from  the  Line  of  Life  to  the  mount  of  Mars 
(under  Jupiter)” — Unfavorable  attachment  in  early  life 
that  is  the  cause  of  much  trouble. 

Ray  "from  the  Line  of  Life  to  the  same  mount  of 
Mars,  starting  with  several  branches” — Similar  case, 
causing  repeated  persecutions.  It  represents  the  pas- 
sionate, animal  temperament  of  the  person  who  caused 
the  trouble. 

Ray  "by  the  side  of  the  Line  of  Life  and  rising 
then  to  the  same  mount  of  Mars” — The  woman  has 
the  stronger  nature  in  the  attachment. 

Ray  "farther  inside  of  the  Mount  of  Venus,  rising 
to  the  same  Mount  of  Mars” — The  person  with  whom 
the  woman  is  connected  will  drift  away  more  and 
more. 

2.  From  the  Mount  of  Venus,  or  the  Line  of  Life,  to  One 
of  the  Principal  Lines. 

"Ray  cutting  Line  of  Life” — Interference  of  rela- 
tives in  the  home  life. 

"Ray  cutting  Line  of  Life  and  reaching  Line  of 
Fate’^ — People  will  oppose  the  subject  in  business  or 


130 


LINES  OR  RAYS  OF  INFLUENCE 


worldly  intercourse;  the  point  of  intersection  will  tell 
the  tale. 

''Ray  just  cutting  Line  of  Life  and  terminating  at 
the  Line  of  Head’' — Head  or  brain  trouble. 

"Ray  cutting  Line  of  Life  and  reaching  Line  of 
Head” — People  will  interfere  with  our  thoughts. 

"Ray  just  cutting  Line  of  Life  and  terminating  at 
the  Line  of  Heart” — Heart  disease. 

"Ray  cutting  the  Line  of  Life  and  the  Line  of 
Heart” — Interference  in  our  closest  affections;  the 
date  to  be  found  at  the  point  where  the  Line  of  Life 
is  cut. 

"A  fork  at  the  point  where  a ray  going  straight  to 
the  Line  of  the  Heart  cuts  the  Line  of  Life” — Un- 
happy marriage,  even  divorce. 

"An  island  appearing  on  a ray  going  straight  to  the 
Line  of  Heart” — The  consequences  of  an  unhappy 
love  affair  have  been  or  will  be  serious,  even  shameful. 

"Ray  starting  from  the  Line  of  Life  and  cutting  the 
Line  of  the  Sun” — Worry  or  loss  of  money  in  early 
life,  by  reason  of  ruin  or  misfortune  caused  by  one’s 
parents. 

"Ray  cutting  the  Line  of  Life  and  the  Line  cf 


LINES  OR  RAYS  OF  INFLUENCE  131 

Sun” — Interference  of  others  spoiling  our  position  in 
life;  scandal  or  disgrace  to  take  place  at  the  date  indi- 
cated on  intersection  of  the  Line  of  Life. 

‘'Ray  cutting  the  Line  of  Life  and  reaching  the  Line 
of  Marriage” — Divorce  to  the  person  in  whose  hand  it 
appears. 

“Same  ray  with  an  island  on  it,  even  faintly  marked” 
— The  person  causing  this  trouble  has  had  such  sim- 
ilar trouble  in  the  past. 

3.  Starting  from  a Sign  on  the  Mount  of  Venus  or  the 
Line  of  Life. 

“Ray  from  a star  on  the  mount  of  Venus” — Quar- 
rels with  relatives. 

“Ray  from  a star  on  the  mount  of  Venus  up  to  the 
mount  of  the  Sun” — Quarrel  with  relations  ending  in 
ruin. 

“Ray  from  a star  on  the  mount  of  Venus  joining 
the  Line  of  the  Sun” — Quarrel  with  relations  ending 
in  good  fortune. 

“Ray  from  the  mount  of  Venus  just  cutting  the  Line 
of  Life” — Marriage  at  the  age  indicated  by  the  place 
where  the  cutting  takes  place.  (See  methods  of  reck- 
oning ages  in  Chapter  XI.) 


132 


LINES  OR  RAYS  OF  INFLUENCE 


4.  Starting  from  the  Mount  of  Venus  or  the  Line  of 


Life  and  Terminating  in  a Sign. 


Ray  ‘‘terminating  at  a point  or  star  on  the  Lines  of 
Head  or  Heart” — Worries  causing  illness,  respectively 
brain  trouble  or  heart  disease. 

Ray  “across  the  Line  of  Fate  to  a star  in  the  tri- 
angle”— A loss  of  money. 

Ray  “crossing  the  Line  of  the  Sun  and  terminating 
in  an  island” — Disgrace  and  public  scandal  resulting 
from  a guilty  intrigue. 


'I 


1. 


CHAPTER  XL 


HOW  TO  RECKON  DATES. 

f yropose,  before  proceeding  with  the  6tudy  of  the 
line  in  order — ''the  Line  of  the  Heart'' — to  devote 
quite  a little  space  (and  two  large  illustrations)  to  the 
two  systenzs  more  generally  practiced  to  ascertain  in 
the  hand,  with  a surprising  degree  of  accuracy,  the 
dates  when  the  various  leading  events  of  one’s  life, 
both  past  and  future,  have  occurred  or  are  to  take 
place.  There  is  no  pretension  on  my  part — nor  on 
the  part  of  any  chirosophist  acting  in  good  faith — to 
fix  a day  or  even  a month  when  events  will  happen, 
althougli  sudden  calamities  are  often  shown  in  the 
hand  to  be  imminent.  But  within  a year  or  eighteen 
months’  time  palmistry  can  and  has  proved  itself  able 
to  prognosticate  happenings  with  a certitude  which 
has  often  been  appalling. 

The  Charlatan  in  the  Practice  of  Palmistry. 

Let  me  state  first — what  I shall  never  be  tired  of 
repeating — that  if  Palmistry  is  to  be  trusted  at  all  it  is 


134 


HOW  TO  RECKON  DATES 


only  because  it  is  a science  based  upon  the  traditions 
of  centuries,  upon  the  researches,  observations,  dis- 
coveries of  generation  after  generation,  each  of  which 
has  brought  its  stone  to  the  present  solid  structure. 
The  modern  chirosophists  have  done  little  else  but  to 
co-ordinate  those  thousands  of  precise  indications  left 
by  our  forefathers;  to  free  them  from  the  verbiage  of 
the  ancient  and  middle  ages;  to  classify  them  in  such 
a way  as  to  render  them  easy  of  access  for  the  modern 
student;  finally,  to  reject  such  observations  as  their 
personal  studies  did  not  allow  them  to  consider  cor- 
rect and  reliable.  Desbarrolles,  Craig,  Heron-Alien, 
and  your  humble  servant  himself  have  firmly  declined 
to  permit  their  imaginations  to  play  havoc  with  the 
results  of  ages  of  close  researches.  But  here  and 
there,  a professional  fortune  teller,  too  lazy  or  too  dull 
of  intellect  to  absorb  the  teachings  of  the  masters,  has 
attempted  the  bold  task  of  creating  his  own  system,  a 
wretched  pretense  which  is  as  far  from  legitimate 
palmistry  as  the  back  room  clairvoyant  who  relieve^ 
poor  servant  girls  of  their  hard-earned  quarters  is  fai 
from  a Blavatsky  or  a Besant.  Remember,  once  for 
all,  that  Palmistry  is  not  the  system  of  one  man,  and 
that  no  one  man’s  existence  is  long  enough  to  create 


HOW  TO  RECKON  DATES 


135 


the  hundredth  part  of  a new  system — if  such  an  under- 
taking were  possible  or  desirable.  We  are  strong 
only  because  we  are  'humble,  faithful,  ever-studying 
pupils  of  the  masters  that  came  and  went  before  us. 
Their  wisdom  we  enjoy,  we  teach,  we  believe  in;  and 
we  repudiate  indignantly  all  so-called  ''inventions’’  in 
the  realm  of  Palmistry  as  utterly  worthless  and  deserv- 
ing the  most  severe  treatment  at  the  hands  of  level- 
headed people. 

Another  point  you  must  never  lose  sight  of:  The 
true,  honest  chirosophist  will  always  be  delighted  to 
explain  to  you  when  and  how  his  knowledge  has  been 
acquired.  Pie  talks  "from  the  book,”  so  to  speak, 
not  from  his  imagination;  and  he  can  refer  you  to  the 
masters’  teachings  whenever  a doubt  arises  in  your 
mind.  No  shrouded  mystery  stretches  between  you 
and  the  truth ; everything  is  clear  as  day  and  as  whole- 
some; worthy,  indeed,  of  respect  and  confidence. 

Not  so  with  the  pseudo-chiromant.  He  will  look 
wise  and  secretive.  He  will  let  you  understand  that 
he  is  endowed  with  semi-magical  powers.  He  works 
on  your  credulity,  not  on  your  sound,  common-sense. 
He  takes  great  care  never  to  tell  you  that  Palmistry 
has  been  reduced  to  a science  ^ precise  and  as  public 


^6  HOW  TO  RECKON  DATES 

as  geometry  itself.  It  may  be  held  by  some  to  be 
wrong  in  its  premises  and  conclusions,  but  ^^as  a 
science”  it  shines  in  the  glare  of  logic  and  reason,  and 
on  its  merits  ''as  an  exact  science”  it  will  stand  or  fall. 
All  other  pretenses — are  pretenses ; and  when  it  comes 
to  collecting  money  with  their  help — false  pretenses. 

Never,  perhaps,  is  the  fraudulent  character  of  such 
practices  made  more  manifest  than  in  the  settling  of 
dates  for  past  or  future  events.  I am  going  to  give 
you  the  two  systems  accepted  for  centuries  by  respect- 
ed and  learned  chirosophists.  Neither  of  them  pre- 
tends to  fix  a day,  a week,  a month,  or  even  a year 
when  such  or  such  an  occurrence  has  taken,  or  is  to 
take,  place.  Within  a period  of,  say,  two  years,  these 
calculations  have  been  found  accurate  and  reliable. 
In  many  cases  sudden  events  are  pointed  out  as 
"imminent.”  But  more  cannot,  must  not,  be  expected 
or  announced.  If  you  trust  any  one  pretending  to 
furnish  you  with  closer  dates,  you  may  know  from  me, 
right  here,  that  you  consent  to  be  the  dupe  of  a char- 
latan. It  is,  indeed,  a clever — the  cleverest — dodge 
for  bringing  customers  to  a fortune-teller’s  shop;  but 
it  remains  a "dodge”  and  has  never  been  accepted  as 
part  and  parcel  of  legitimate  palmistry. 


HOW  TO  RECKON  DATES  UT 

As  will  be  seen  in  the  two  illustrations  included  in 
this  lesson  (Figs.  18  and  19),  and  as  will  be  explained 
in  a few  paragraphs  below,  the  years  are  marked  both 
on  the  Line  of  Life  and  on  the  Line  of  Fate.  These 
two  lines  intersect  most  of  the  lines  in  the  hand  or  are 
connected  with  them  and  the  mounts  by  minor  Lines, 
such  as  I have  examined  in  connection  with  the  Line 
of  Life  and  the  mount  of  Venus.  Practice  will  quickly 
teadh  the  student  how  to  reckon  on  either  or  both  of 
these  Lines  the  events  marked  in  other  Lines.  I shall 
take  care  to  help  them  along  in  their  first  efforts  as 
I proceed  with  the  study  of  the  lines. 

Let  me  remark  here,  however,  that  there  will  be 
found  notable  divergences  in  the  various  t)q)es  of 
hands  as  to  the  measurements  herein  given.  A hand 
with  a long,  slender  palm  will  have  the  figures  ®n  the 
lines  thrown  much  farther  apart  than  will  be  the  case 
in  a short,  broad  palm.  But  experience  will  quickly 
allow  the  student  to  make  proper  allowances  for  these 
differences  and  give  him  the  sure  look  that  will  divide 
the  lines  of  Life  and  Fate  into  properly  sized  sections 
without  any  other  compasses  than  the  pair  we  all 
possess  in  oitr  eyes.  Of  course,  the  dotted  lines  in  the 
illustrations  are  simply  indications  to  facilitate  the 


138 


HOW  TO  RECKON  DATES 


HOW  TO  CALCULATE  DATES  IN  THE  HAND. 
FIG.  18.  THE  NEW  METHOD. 


HOW  TO  RECKON  DATES 


139 


FIG.  19.  THE  METHOD  OFTEN. 


140 


HOW  TO  RECKON  DATES 


understanding  of  the  text;  they  are  not  in  any  way 

lines  of  the  hand.’’ 

I presented  in  an  earlier  edition  of  this  book  a method 
of  reckoning  dates,  as  old  as  Chironomy  itself  and  re- 
cently used  by  a professional  palmist  of  some  reputa- 
tion. I did  not  recommend  it  in  any  way,  and  even  the 
old  Desbarrolles  system  which  the  reader  will  find  side 
by  side  with  my  own  method,  I did  not  care  to  endorse 
fully.  I have  been  asked  so  often,  however,  to  furnish 
the  public  with  a system  I thoroughly  believe  in  myself 
that  I have  decided  to  borrow  the  description  and  pic- 
ture from  my  greater  work,  ‘^The  Practice  of  Palmistry 
for  Professional  Purposes”  (2  vols.,  1,252  illustrations). 

The  New  Method  of  the  National  School  of  Palmistry.” 

1.  On  the  liine  of  Life. 

You  measure  with  a thread  the  Line  of  Life  from  its 
starting  point  to  the  first  bracelet  of  the  Rascette.  If 
the  Line  of  Life  stops  before  that,  you  follow  and 
measure  the  curve  it  would  occupy  if  it  did  terminate  at 
the  first  bracelet. 

This  first  measuring  done,  you  cut  the  thread  at  the 
terminating  point.  You  then  double  it  and  mark  with 
ink  its  new  terminating  point.  Each  of  the  two  halves 
of  the  thread  you  divide  into  five  equal  sections. 

The  markings  completed,  you  stretch  the  thread  on 
the  hand,  following  exactly  the  Line  of  Life,,  and  be- 
ginning at  the  beginning,  you  memorize  the  following 


HOW  TO  RECKON  DATES 


14i 


figures  corresponding  with  each  of  the  ink  bars  you  have 
traced  upon  the  thread. 

The  ‘‘first  mark’^  stands  for  the  end  of  the  “6th 
year.^^  The  “second  mark’^  stands  for  the  end  of  the 
“12th  year.”  The  “third  mark”  stands  for  the  end  of 
the  “18th  year.”  The  “fourth  mark”  stands  for  the 
end  of  the  “24th  year.”  The  “fifth  mark”  stands  for 
the  end  of  the  “30th  year.”  (This  is  the  middle  of  the 
thread. ) 

The  “sixth  mark”  stands  for  the  end  of  the  “36th 
year.”  The  “seventh  mark”  stands  for  the  end  of  the 
“43d  year.”  The  “eighth  mark”  stands  for  the  end  of 
the  “51st  year.”  The  “ninth  mark”  stands  for  the 
end  of  the  “60th  year.”  The  “end”  of  the  thread 
marks  the  “70th  year.” 

2.  On  the  Line  of  Fate. 

Again,  I measure  with  a thread  a straight  line  from  the 
first  bracelet  of  the  Rascette  to  the  root  of  the  second 
finger.  The  lower  portion  of  the  thread  (below  the 
Line  of  Head)  I fold  into  three  equal  parts;  then 
stretching  it  again  along  the  space  indicated  above  (the 
fact  of  the  real  Line  of  Fate  being  shorter  does  not  in- 
terfere with  the  operation). 

At  the  upper  “end  of  the  first  /"lowest)  third”  I mark 
the  “fifth  year.” 

At  the  “end  of  the  second  thirc!'”  I mark  the  “29th 
year.” 

At  the  “end  of  the  third  third”  (i.  e.,  at  the  meeting 


142  HOW  TO  RECKON  DATES 

with  the  Line  of  Head,  whether  real  or  imaginary), 
I mark  the  ‘^35th  year/’ 

Above  the  Line  of  Head  I do  not  measure  by  the 
thread  any  longer,  but 

At  the  ^‘meeting  with  the  Line  of  Heart”  I mark  the 
‘^50th  year.” 

At  the  ‘‘root  of  the  second  finger”  I mark  the  “70th 
year.” 

The  Method  of  Ten. 

I take  a pair  of  compasses  of  the  ordinary  kind  and 
of  a size  suitable  for  the  purpose. 

1.  I place  one  point  just  on  the  middle  of  the  root 
of  the  first  (or  index)  finger  and  the  other  point  just 
between  the  second  and  third  fingers.  I then  trace 
an  arc  of  a circle,  and  where  it  cuts  the  Line  of  Life  I 
mark  “10.”  Where  it  cuts  the  Line  of  Fate  I mark 
“45.” 

2.  Leaving  one  point  of  the  compass  in  its  orig- 
inal position  I place  the  other  at  the  root  of  the  third 
(or  ring)  finger,  and  draw  an  arc  of  a circle  concentric 
with  the  first,  and  at  its  intersection  with  the  Line  of 
Life  I mark  “20;”  where  it  cuts  the  Line  of  Fate  I 
mark  “35.” 

3.  One  point  still  placed  as  before,  I place  the  other 


HOW  TO  RECKON  DATES 


143 


just  between  the  third  and  fourth  fingers,  and  draw 
another  concentric  arc  of  a circle;  at  its  intersection 
with  the  Line  of  Life  I write  “30;”  at  its  intersection 
with  the  Line  of  Fate  I mark  “25.” 

4.  With  one  point  of  the  compasses  still  in  its  orig- 
inal position  and  the  other  point  touching  the  middle 
of  the  root  of  the  fourth  (or  little)  finger  a new  arc  is 
drawn.  At  its  intersection  with  the  Line  of  Life  I 
write  “40;”  at  its  intersection  with  the  Line  of  Fate, 
“20.” 

5.  One  point  being  still  kept  as  before,  and  the 
other  carried  just  to  the  edge  of  the  Percussion, 
another  arc  is  drawn,  and  at  its  intersection  with  the 
Line  of  Life  I mark  “50;”  as  it  cuts  the  Line  of  Fate  I 
mark  “15.” 

6.  One  point  remaining  as  before,  the  other  ad- 
vanced down  the  Percussion  the  same  distance  as  on 
the  previous  marking,  a fresh  arc  is  drawn  and  at  its 
intersection  with  the  Line  of  Life  I mark  “60;”  as  it 
cuts  t/he  Line  of  Fate,  I write  “10.” 

7.  One  point  remaining  as  before,  the  other  is 
advanced  still  further  along  the  percussion,  the  same 
distance  as  on  the  preceding  marking;  still  another 


144 


HOW  TO  RECKON  DATES 


arc  is  traced  and  at  the  intersection  with  the  Line  of 
Life  I mark  '‘70;’’  as  it  cuts  the  Line  of  Fate  I 
write  "5.” 

8.  One  point  remaining  as  before,  the  other  point 
is  carried  along  the  Percussion  for  a distance  equal  to 
two-thirds  of  the  distance  used  in  the  preceding  mark- 
ing, another  arc  is  drawn,  and  at  the  point  of  inter- 
section with  the  Line  of  Life  I mark  "80.” 

9.  The  first  point  of  the  compasses  remaining  at 
the  place  it  has  occupied  all  along,  the  other  is  carried 
along  the  Percussion  a distance  equal  to  two-thirds 
of  the  distance  used  in  the  preceding  marking,  another 
arc  is  drawn  and  at  the  intersection  with  the  Line  of 
Life  I mark  "90.” 

Here  I will  stop,  having  reached  a number  of  years 
sufficiently  respectable.  To  pass  this  age  would  be 
no  blessing;  how  few  men  or  women  reach  even  the 
age  of  eighty  without  having  become  a burden  both 
to  themselves  and  to  all  around  them? 

The  mere  fact  that  a Line  of  Life  includes  twelve  or 
nine  sections  in  the  systems  just  described,  does  not, 
in  itself  alone,  furnish  positive  proof  that  the  persons 
under  examination  will  reach  the  venerable  age  it 
would  seem  to  indicate.  Here  again — and  I cannot 


HOW  TO  RECKON  DATES  14S 

repeat  it  too  often — a single  observation,  if  considered 
by  itself  alone,  without  reference  to  others,  is  but  a 
delusion  and  a snare ; this  is  perhaps  truer  in  this  case 
than  in  any  other. 


CHAPTER  XIL 


THE  LINE  OF  MARS-THE  RASOETTE. 

THE  LINE  OF  HEART. 

As  the  necessary  adjuncts  to  the  Line  of  Life,  I have 
decided  to  insert  herein  the  few  observations  that  con- 
cern the  “Line  of  Mars”— often  called  the  sister  to  the 
Line  of  Life — the  importance  of  which  is  really  subor- 
dinate to  this  essential  feature  of  every  hand. 

The  “Three  Bracelets”  constituting  the  “Rascette” 
are  also — in  their  principal  meaning — ^the  corollaries 
of  the  Line  of  Life;  their  place  must  therefore  be  main- 
tained in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  this  Line. 

The  Line  of  Mars 
or  "Inner  Line  of  Life.” 

“Running  close  and  parallel  to  the  Line  of  Life”— • 
It  corrects  many  of  the  breaks  and  defects  of  that 
Line.  It  gives  assurance,  self-respect,  and,  “with  a 
good  mount  of  Jupiter,”  a desirable  amount  of  pride. 
Also  a promise  of  success  and  fortune  when  confirmed 
elsewhera 


(146) 


THE  LINE  OF  MARS 


147 


"Running  only  for  a limited  space  as  a companion 
to  the  Line  of  Life” — Its  influence  is  limited  to  t^ie 
space  of  time  indicated  upon  the  portion  of  the  Line  ©f 
Life  it  duplicates. 

“Too  deep  or  broad,  with  red  coloring” — A sign  of 
great  heat  and  violence  in  sensual  passions ; of  an  eas- 
ily aroused  anger;  of  a masterful  spirit  (Fig.  20-a). 

“With  a fork  at  the  end  starting  toward  the  mount 


of  the  Moon” — Intemperance  of  every  kind  due  to  a 
superabundance  of  the  animal  nature  amounting 
almost  to  brutal  insanity  (Fig.  20-bb). 

We  find  other  indications  relating  to  the  duration  of 
ttfe  and  to  ks  happiness  or  ill-luck  in  these  three  Unes 


148  THE  RASCETTE 

on  the  wrist,  called  the  “Bracelets”  or  “Restreintes,” 
and  the  combination  of  which  constitutes 
The  Bascette. 

By  some  authors  the  line  nearest  to  the  palm  is  the 
only  one  called  the  “Rascette,”  the  appellation  “Re- 
streintes”  being  reserved  for  the  others;  but  I think  it 
simpler  and  more  practical  to  call  the  three  “The 
Bracelets.” 

“One  of  these  bracelets  clearly  marked  and  unbrok- 
en”— An  omen  of  twenty-three  (33)  to  twenty-eight 
(38)  years  of  life. 

“Two  such  bracelets”  announce  a life  of  from  forty- 
sfec  (46)  to  fifty-six  (56)  years;  and 

“Three  such  bracelets”  give  promise  of  a life  of 
between  sixty-nine  (69)  and  eighty-four  (84)  years. 

“If  very  clear,  well  defined  and  colored” — Health, 
wealth,  good  luck,  untroubled  existence. 

“The  first  bracelet  chained” — life  of  much  hard 
work  and  care,  but  final  success.  (Fig.  SO,  i.  i.) 

“The  bracelets  poorly  formed” — A life  of  extrava- 
gance, and  (with  other  confirmatory  signs)  of  disripa- 
tion. 

“The  fitst  bracelet  high  up  the  wrist  and  strongly 


THE  RASCETTE 


149 


convex  in  shape” — ^Trouble  in  the  generative  func- 
tions, especially  in  child-bearing,  etc. 

“Lines  from  the  Rascette  to  the  mount  of  the 
Moon” — Travels  or  voyages;  for  every  line  a journey. 
(Fig.  20,  c.  c.) 

“Line  from  the  Rascette  to  the  mount  of  Jupiter” — 
A very  long  and  successful  journey.  (Fig.  20,  d.  d.) 

“The  longer  these  travel-lines,”  the  longer  the  jour- 
neys. 

“Travel-lines  converging  toward  the  mount  of  Sat- 
urn without  joining  there” — The  subject  will  not 
return  from  one  of  these  travels. 

“Travel-lines  ending  at  the  Line  of  Life” — Death  ©n 
a journey.  (Fig.  20,  e.  e.) 

“Line  straight  to  the  mount  of  Mercury” — Indica- 
tion of  sudden  wealth.  (Fig.  20,  f.  f.) 

“Line  straight  to  the  mount  of  the  Sun” — Reputa- 
tion acquired  through  associating  with  people  in  high 
position. 

“Poor  line  joining  the  Line  of  the  Liver” — Poor 
luck  all  through  life. 

“A  cross  at  the  center  of  the  first  bracelet” — A life 
full  of  difficulties  ending  peacefully.  (Fig.  20,  h.  h.) 

“An  angle  at  the  center  of  the  Rascette” — Money 


160  THE  LINE  OF  HEART 

by  inheritance  and  position  of  honor  coming  to  the 
subject  in  his  or  her  old  age.  (Fig.  20,  g.  g.) 

The  Line  of  Heart, 

which  I reach  now  in  regular  order,  is  the  first  hori” 
zontal  line  across  the  palm  of  the  hand;  it  runs  at  the 
base  of  the  mounts. 

“Placed  very  high  in  the  hand  (near  the  roots  of  the 
fingers)” — Warm,  passionate,  jealous  disposition. 

“Placed  lower  than  its  normal  position  (indicated 
clearly  in  Fig.  1 and  Fig.  13.)” — Coldness,  selfish- 
ness; in  a good  hand,  indication  of  a steady  flow  of 
steady  affection  without  physical  attraction. 

Now  I shall  examine  the  “Line  of  the  Heart”  in  its 
various  aspects  and  connections,  classifying  my  ob- 
servations in  my  own  way.  I may  be  allowed  to  state 
herein  that  this  volume  contains  “more  observations” 
concerning  each  mount  or  line  than  any  other  work  on 
Palmistry  published  in  any  country  and  in  any  lan- 
guage, the  great  Desbarrolles  not  excepted. 

I.  The  Line  of  the  Heart  by  Itself. 

“The  longer  it  is  and  the  farther  it  rises  into  the 
mount  of  Jupiter”  the  stronger  and  the  more  idealistic 
the  love. 

“Long,  clear  and  well  traced” — Lasting  affection. 


THE  LINE  OF  HEART. 


151 


^‘Stretching  clear  across  the  hand” — 'Blind  devotion. 

“Double  Line  of  Heart” — Capacity  for  deep  affec- 
tion that  will  cause  much  sorrow  to  the  subject. 

“Starting  from  the  third  phalanx  of  the  first  finger*' 
— Lack  of  success  in  all  directions. 

“Starting  between  the  mounts  of  Jupiter  and  Sat- 
urn*’— Negative  happiness. 

“Partially  encircling  the  mount  of  Jupiter" — 
Jealousy, 


^‘Completely  encircling  the  mount  of  Jupiter’' — • 
Singular  aptitude  for  occult  sciences.  (This  sign  is 
called  “the  Ring  of  Jupiter.’*) 

“Starting  from  under  the  mount  of  Saturn  mstead 
.of  under  the  mount  of  Jupiter” — Sensuality  in  affec- 
tion. 


152  THE  LINE  OF  HEART 

“Starting  from  under  the  mount  of  Saturn  with  a 
cross  on  the  center  of  the  Line  of  the  Head” — Prema- 
ture death.  (Fig.  21  a-a.) 

“Starting  from  under  the  mount  of  Saturn  without 
forks” — Sudden  death. 

“Very  long,  with  a prominent  and  much-lined 
mount  of  the  Moon  and  a clear  girdle  of  Venus” — 
Jealousy. 

“Extending  around  the  Percussion,  with  a long, 
clear  line  of  Head  and  the  mounts  of  Mars  promin- 
ent”— Daring  spirit. 

“Sinking  toward  the  Line  of  the  Head,  thus  narrow- 
ing the  Quadrangle” — Mean  character.  Still  more  so, 
“with  square-tipped  and  very  smooth  fingers.” 

“Sinking  toward  the  Line  of  Head,  forming  a very 
narrow  Quadrangle,  and  with  a prominent  mount  of 
the  Moon” — Duplicity. 

“Sinking  toward  the  Line  of  Head,  with  an  imper- 
fectly traced  Line  of  Liver” — Asthma. 

“Sinking  toward  the  Line  of  Head,  the  latter  being 
connected  with  the  Line  of  Life  for  more  than  the  nor- 
mal distance” — Stiffness  and  formality  in  manner  and 
disposition. 

“Very  red” — ^Violence  in  affairs  of  the  heart. 


THE  LINE  OF  HEART 


m 

"Livid  or  yellow” — Liver  troubles. 

"Very  pale  and  wide” — Heart  disease;  poor  circula- 
tion, dissipation  having  brought  about  a general  weak- 
ening of  the  system. 

“Very  thin  and  long” — Murderous  instincts. 

“Weak  and  poor,  and  ending  at  the  Percussion” — 
Childlessness. 

“Weak  and  poorly  traced,  with  a chained  Line  of 
Head” — Faithlessness. 

“Chained” — Flirtatious  disposition. 

“Chained  and  poorly  traced,  with  a mount  of  Venus 
either  exaggerate  or  covered  with  many  cross  lines” — 
Constant  flirtations,  or  worse. 

“Chained  and  rising  under  the  mount  of  Saturn” — 
Contempt  for  the  opposite  sex. 

“Much  broken” — Inconstancy;  or  hatred  of  the 
opposite  sex. 

“Broken  under  the  mount  of  Saturn,  with  the  two 
pieces  overlaying  each  other” — Dangerous  illness, 
arising  from  defective  circulation  of  the  blood. 

“Broken  under  the  mount  of  Saturn” — Engagement 
broken,  but  not  by  the  subject’s  fault  and  desire. 

"Broken  under  the  mount  of  the  Sun” — Engage- 
ment broken  through  a caprice  of  the  subject. 


m 


THE  LINE  OF  HEART 


^^Broken  under  the  mount  of  Mercury” — Engage- 
ment broken  on  account  of  the  avaricious  disposition 
of  the  subject  (Fig.  21-g). 

^‘Absent’’ — Extreme  coldness,  physical  and  moral; 
selfishness;  boundless  avarice;  with  other  signs,  such 
as  a prominent  mount  of  Mars,  cruelty. 

‘‘A  well  developed  Line,  with  somewhat  exaggerate 
mounts  of  Venus  and  the  Moon” — Romantic  disposi- 
tion. 

‘^A  good  Line,  with  a good  Line  of  Head  and  a tri- 
angle at  the  end  of  the  Line  of  Life” — Tact. 

‘^A  poor  Line,  with  a poor  line  of  Head  and  a cross 
at  the  end  of  the  Line  of  Life” — Untruth. 

^'A  poor  Line,  with  the  Line  of  Head  starting  under 
the  mount  of  Jupiter  and  ending  at  the  mount  of 
Mars” — Misfortune  due  to  one’s  folly. 

‘^A  poor  Line,  with  a long  Line  of  Head  and  a nar- 
row Quadrangle,  and  with  spatulate  fingers  and  a short 
phalanx  of  the  thumb” — Vacillation. 

II.  The  Line  of  Heart  Directly  Connected  with  the  Other 
Principal  Lines. 

‘‘Strongly  marked  and  long  united  at  the  start  with 
the  lines  of  Life  and  Head,  the  latter  terminating  in  a 
fork,  one  branch  of  which  descends  to  the  mount  of 


THE  LINE  OF  HEART  155 

the  Moon,  while  the  other  branch  goes  its  natural 
course  or  joins  the  Line  of  Heart” — Blind  and  fatal 
passion.  (Fig.  S3,  a.  a.) 


‘^Uniting  with  the  Line  of  Life  and  the  Line  of  Head 
under  the  mount  of  Jupiter,  with  a cross  in  the  middle 
of  the  Line  of  Head” — Sudden  death  (if  repeated  in 
both  hands). 

''Joined  to  the  Line  of  the  Head  under  the  mount  of 
Saturn” — Fatal  events. 

"Joined  to  the  Line  of  Head  under  the  mount  of 
Mercury  in  a tortuous  curve” — Premature  death. 

"Starting  from  the  mount  of  Jupiter  and  connecting 
with  a straight,  clear  Line  of  Fate  arising  from  the 


156  THE  LINE  OF  HEART 

mount  of  the  Moon,  which  loses  itself  in  the  Line  of 
Heart’’ — Unexpected  happiness. 

III.  The  Line  of  Heart  Connected  with  Minor  Lines. 

quantity  of  little  lines  cutting  across  the  Line  of 
Heart  diagonally” — Moral  and  physical  misfortunes 
of  the  heart  and  liver. 

‘‘Connecting  lines  between  the  Line  and  the  Line  of 
Life” — Illnesses  caused  either  by  sorrows  due  to  dis- 
appointed love,  or  by  troubles  in  the  functions  of  the 
heart. 

“Joined  to  the  line  of  Head  by  a line  starting  from  it 
witho-^t  cutting  it” — Fatal  infatuation. 

“Lines  falling  from  the  Line  of  Heart  to  the  Line 
of  Head  without  touching  the  latter” — Life  greatly 
influenced  by  the  opposite  sex.  (Fig.  21-c.  c.  c.)  Line 
rising  from  the  Line,  reaching  the  mount  of  Saturn, 
and  then  turning  back  abruptly” — Misplaced  affection. 

“Short  lines  ascending  to  the  line  from  the  Line  of 
Fate” — Love  not  ending  in  marriage. 

“Pale  and  wide,  with  a line  from  the  mount  of 
Venus  to  the  mount  of  Mars  or  the  mount  of  Mercury 
— Material  love ; sensuality. 

“Cut  under  the  mount  of  Mercury  by  one  of  the 


THE  LINE  OF  HEART 


187 


branches  of  a cross  on  that  mount'’ — Business  failure. 
(Fig.  21,  d.) 

line  from  the  Line  of  Heart  rising  deep  into  the 
fourth  finger,  the  mount  of  Mercury  being  prominent” 
— Avarice. 

‘Two  perpendicular  lines  proceeding  straight  from 
the  line  to  the  mount  of  the  Moon” — Death  by  apo- 
plexy. (Fig.  22,  d.  d.  d.  d.) 

“A  curved  line  from  the  line  (not  cutting  it,  how- 
ever) to  the  mount  of  the  Moon” — Murderous  disposi- 
tion. 

“Lines  from  it  to  the  Quadrangle” — ^Versatility,  sel- 
dom of  much  real  use  to  the  subject. 

“A  line  from  the  Line  of  Heart  to  the  Line  of  Fate, 
the  latter  being  broken  in  its  course” — Widowhood. 
(Fig.  23,  d.  d.) 


THE  LINE  OF  HEART 


“The  Line  as  well  as  the  Lines  of  Life,  of  Head  and 
of  Marriage,  cut  by  a line  starting  from  the  mount  of 
Venus” — Troubles  connected  with  one’s  marriage. 
(Fig.  21,  e.  e.) 

IV.  Forks  and  Branches. 

‘Torked  under  the  mount  of  Jupiter’’ — Good  for- 
tune. ''li  the  forks  are  three” — Great  good  fortune. 

''Evenly  forked  when  starting  under  the  mount  of 
Jupiter,  with  a cross  on  the  mount  of  Venus” — ^An 
only  love. 

"Forked  under  the  mount  of  Jupiter,  one  fork  going 
up  to  the  mount” — Happy  in  love.  (Fig.  23,  c.  c.) 

"Forked  at  the  start,  one  fork  toward  the  mount  of 
Jupiter,  the  other  toward  the  Line  of  Head” — Self- 
deception. 

"The  Line  starting  with  a fork  from  the  Line  of  the 
Head  and  reaching  down  to  the  mount  of  Venus” — 
Separation  resulting  in  marriage. 

"Starting  with  a fork,  one  branch  of  which  ascends 
between  the  first  and  second  fingers,  with  a prominent, 
unlined  mount  of  Jupiter  and  without  marks  or  lines 
on  an  insignificant  mount  of  the  Moon” — Negative 
happiness. 


THE  LINE  OF  HEART 


15^ 


‘‘Forked  with  one  fork  to  the  mount  of  Jupiter  and 
the  other  to  the  mount  of  Saturn’’ — Fanaticism;  bad 
errors  in  the  pursuit  of  success. 

“Forked  at  the  s<tart  with  a fork  from  it  to  the  mount 
of  Mercury,  with  an  island  on  the  Line  of  Saturn” — 
A divorce.  (Fig.  37-c.  c.) 

“Quite  bare  of  branches” — Dryness  of  heart. 

“Without  branches  under  the  mount  of  Jupiter” — 
Poverty. 

“Without  branches  at  the  end’" — Sterility. 

“Downward  branches” — Disappointments,  caused 
by  loved  ones. 

“Very  far  apart  from  the  line  of  Head  and  both 
Lines  branchless” — Life  deprived  of  affection. 

V.  Signs  on  the  Line  of  Heart. 

“Crosses  or  chains  at  the  junction  of  the  Line  of 
Heart  and  the  Line  of  Fate.” — Pecuniary  troubles. 

“A  branch  of  the  Line  extending  to  the  mount  of 
the  Moon,  and  terminating  in  a star” — Hereditary 
madness,  of  the  erotic  form.  (Fig.  23,  b.  b.) 

“A  deep  scar  across  the  line” — Danger  of  apoplexy. 

“Red  spots  on  the  line” — Wounds. 

“White  spots  on  the  line” — Successes  in  love  affairs. 


160 


THE  LINE  OF  HEART 


“A  dot  on  the  line  under  the  mount  of  the  Sun” — 
Sentimental  grief  caused  by  some  celebrated  person, 
and  which  hurts  you  in  your  ambition. 

“A  dot  on  the  line  under  the  mount  of  Mercury” — 
The  above  trouble  will  be  due  to  a lawyer,  a doctor, 
a scientist. 

“A  circle  on  the  line” — Weakness  of  the  heart. 
(Fig.  23-a.) 

“An  island  on  the  line” — For  every  island  as  many 
grave  infidelities.  (Fig.  22-c.  c.) 

“An  island  on  the  line,  with  an  island  on  the  Line 
of  Fate  in  both  hands” — Adulterous  love  that  will  stop 
at  nothing. 


CHAPTER  XIIL 


THE  LINE  OE  HEAD. 

This  is  the  line  which  acts  as  a clear  and  accurate 
gauge  as  to  the  intellectual  worth  of  the  subject  and  as 
to  the  healthy  condition  of  his,  or  her,  brain  and  blood 
circulation.  Is  often  called,  on  that  account,  ‘'the 
Cerebral.’'  The  line  is  found  under  the  Line  of  Heart, 
more  or  less  parallel  to  it,  separated  from  it  by  what  is 
called  the  “Quadrangle,”  and  generally,  when  normal, 
connected  at  its  starting  point  with  the  Line  of  Life. 
Now  for  classified  details: 

I.  The  Line  of  Head  by  Itself. 

“Long,  straight  and  clear” — Common  sense. 

“Long  and  straight,  with  hands  and  fingers  long” — > 
Love  of  details. 

“Long  and  narrow,  with  moderate  mount  of  Venus” 
—Constancy. 

“Long  and  narrow,  with  high  mounts  of  Mars,  Jup- 
iter and  Mercury” — Energy. 

“Well  developed  Line  with  good  mounts  of  Jupiter 

itQll 


THE  LINE  OF  HEAD 


and  Mercury” — Power  of  concentrating  one’s  mind. 

‘'Long,  clear  and  straight,  with  a long,  conical  first 
finger  and  good  mounts  of  Saturn  and  the  Sun”~ 
Love  of  reading. 

“A  good,  long  line  and  a broad  Quadrangle,  with  a 
long,  conical  first  finger  and  the  others  square” — 
Thoughtfulness. 

“Long  and  straight,  with  a good  Line  of  Heart,  and 
a first  finger  longer  than  the  normal  size” — Love  of 
economy,  but  not  an  avaricious  disposition. 

“A  good  Line,  with  a good  Line  of  Heart  and  a^tri- 
angle  at  the  termination  of  the  Line  of  Life” — Tact. 

“Forming  a clear  cross,  in  both  hands,  with  the 
Line  of  Liver” — Aptitude  for  occult  sciences. 

“Extending  clear  across  the  palm,  with  a Line  of 
Liver  narrow,  distinct  and  straight” — Good  memory. 

“Narrow  and  weak” — Frivolity. 

“Chained  or  linked” — Headaches.  (Fig.  24  a.) 

“A  poor  Line,  with  abnormally  small  thumbs”— 
Idiocy. 

“Long  but  faint,  with  an  exaggerate  mount  of  Mer- 
cury”— Perfidy. 

“A  short  Line,  with  a low  mount  of  Jupiter  and 


THE  LINE  OF  HEAD 


163 


exaggerate  mounts  of  Venus  and  the  Moon” — Lazi- 
ness. 

“Pale  and  broad,  with  hard  hands  and  a low  mount 
of  the  Sun” — Dull  intellect. 

“A  short,  clear  line,  or  a long,  faintly  traced  line” — 
Flightiness,  lack  of  concentration. 

“A  straight  Line,  with  very  short  fourth  finger  and 
developed  knots” — Tactlessness. 

“Formed  in  little  Islands,  with  fluted  nails,  curved  at 
the  top” — Consumption.  (Fig.  24  a.) 


“Running  only  half  way  across  the  hand,  with  badly 
developed  mounts  of  Jupiter  and  of  the  Sun” — Lack 
of  intelligence. 

“A  tortuous  Line  with  a narrow  Quadrangle  and  a 
mount  of  Mercury  exaggerate” — Dishonesty. 


m 


THE  LINE  OF  HEAD 


‘'Short,  with  a narrow  Quadrangle  and  a high 
mount  of  Venus” — Narrow  mindedness. 

"Stretching  across  the  whole  palm,  with  a badly 
formed  Triangle” — Avarice. 

"Running  quite  close  to  the  Line  of  Life  for  quite  a 
space” — Brain  fever. 

"A  poor  Line  with  the  Line  of  Heart  absent  and 
the  Line  of  Liver  wavy” — Weak  heart. 

"Very  poor  and  narrow  Line  with  an  irregular  Line 
of  Liver” — Chronic  indigestion. 

"Not  joined  with  the  Line  of  Life  at  the  start  and 
with  a deeply  lined,  firm  hand  with  spatulate  fingers” 
— Energy. 

"Not  joined  with  the  Line  of  Life  at  the  start” — In 
a good  hand — Self-reliance,  especially  if  "the  Line  is 
clear  and  long.” 

"Not  joined  with  the  Line  of  Life  at  its  start  and 
with  a badly  formed  cross  in  the  Quadrangle” — Exag* 
gerate  enthusiasm. 

"Not  joined  to  the  Line  of  Life,  with  exaggerate 
mounts  of  Jupiter  and  Mars” — Abnormal  self-confi- 
dence. 

"Far  apart  from  the  Line  of  Life  at  the  start  with 
a very  flat  mount  of  Mercury  and  exaggerate  mounts 


THE  LINE  OF  HEAD 


165 


oi  Mars”— Recklessness;  often  lack  of  intelligence, 
especially  ‘‘if  the  Line  is  short.” 

“Widely  separated  from  the  Line  of  Life  with 
smooth  fingers  and  spatulate  tips” — Tactlessness. 

“Starting  with  a curve  around  the  thumb  and  going 
clear  across  the  palm” — Extravagant  conceit.  (Fig. 
26,  a). 

“Starting  under  the  mount  of  Jupiter  and  sioping 
down  the  mount  of  the  Moon,  with  the  first  phalanx 


of  the  thumb  wide  and  short  and  a poor  Line  of 
Heart” — Obstinacy. 

“Rising  toward  the  Line  of  Heart,  with  a Line  of 
Liver  starting  from  the  Line  of  Life”  (Fig.  26  b,  lx 
dotted  line) — ^Tendency  to  fainting  fits. 


166 


THE  LINE  OF  HEAD 


'Wavy  and  rising  in  a curve  toward  the  Lint  3f 
Heart  under  the  mount  of  the  Sun  or  Mercury  — 
Insanity  (to  be  confirmed  by  the  other  hand  and  by 
other  signs,  especially  the  mount  of  the  Moon). 

"Slanting  downward  very  closely  to  the  Line  of 
Life’’ — Fatal  love. 

"Sloping  and  ending  in  a fork  on  the  mount  of  the 
Moon'' — Crafty  disposition. 

"Sloping  abruptly  to  the  mount  of  the  Moon  with  a 
star  on  the  first  finger”  (Fig.  34,  b,  b,) — Insanity. 

"Descending  low  down  on  the  mount  of  the  Moon, 
with  the  middle  phalanx  of  the  first  finger  much  lined’' 
—Aptitude  for  the  occult  sciences. 

"Long  and  sloping  to  the  mount  of  the  Moon  with  a 
high  mount  of  Jupiter  marked  with  a grille  or  grid- 
iron”— Eloquence. 

"Long  and  sloping,  with  a Line  of  the  Sun  in  both 
hands,  and  the  second  and  third  fingers  nearly  the 
same  length” — Love  of  gambling;  disposition  to  take 
great  risks  in  business. 

"Wavy,  and  inclining  toward  the  Line  of  Liver, 
with  a Line  of  Fate  ending  abruptly  at  the  Line  of 
Head”  (Fig.  35  a.  a.) — Brain  disease. 


THE  LINE  OF  HEAD 


167 


“Ending  at  the  center  of  the  Hand  and  with  low 
mounts  of  Mars” — Want  of  spirit. 

“After  partly  crossing  the  hand,  turning  back  and 
starting  toward  the  mount  of  Venus”^ — Fatal  love. 

“The  Line  ending  just  before  it  crosses  the  Line  of 
Fate” — Short  life. 

“Rising  at  its  termination  toward  the  mount  of  Mer- 
cury”— ^Tact  and  shrewdness  in  the  management  of 
affairs. 

“Ascending  to  the  mount  of  Mercury  at  its  termina- 
tion”— Gift  of  mimicry. 

“Long  and  clear,  terminating  on  the  lower  mount 
of  Mars” — Presence  of  mind. 

“Rising  toward  the  Line  of  the  Heart  at  its  termin- 
ation”— Giddiness. 

“Running  to  the  Percussion,  with  low  mounts  of 
Jupiter  and  Venus,  the  thumb  inward  bent  and  the 
fingers  close  together” — Egotism,  almost,  if  not  quite, 
to  the  point  of  offensive  conceit. 

“Broken  in  small  sections,  having  the  appearance  of 
H succession  of  small  squares” — Loss  of  memory. 

“Broken  under  the  mount  of  Saturn  in  both  hands 
with  the  fragments  overlaying  each  other” — ^Wounds. 


163 


THE  LINE  OF  HEAD 


‘‘Broken  in  small  sections  under  the  second  finger, 
the  broken  fragments  overlaying  each  other,  true  only 
if  in  both  hands,  with  other  confirmatory  indications” 
— Death  on  the  scaffold.  (Unconfirmed  tradition.) 

“Broken  under  the  mount  of  Saturn  with  a cross 
inside  the  triangle  and  a Line  of  Life  ending  abruptly” 
— Capital  punishment. 

“Broken  under  the  mount  of  Saturn  and  sloping 
toward  a very  prominent  mount  of  the  Moon” — Dan- 
ger of  insanity, 

“Broken  under  the  mount  of  the  Sun” — ^Accident 
through  a quadruped. 

“Followed  by  a sister  Line” — Wealth  by  inherit- 
ance. 

tl.  The  Line  of  Head  Connected  with  the  Principal 

Lines. 

“Joining  in  a very  acute  angle  with  the  Line  of  Life” 
^Prudence. 

“Closely  connected  for  some  distance  with  the  Line 
of  Life” — Hesitating  ways,  diffidence, 

“Joining  with  the  Line  of  Life,  mounting  toward 
the  Line  of  Heart  under  the  mount  of  Saturn,  then 
coming  down  and  resuming  its  normal  position”  (Fig. 
24,  c.  c.) — Blind  or  fatal  passion. 


THE  LINE  OF  HEAD 


169 


^‘Joined  at  the  start  with  the  Line  of  Life  and  the 
Line  of  Heart” — Sudden  death. 

‘The  Line  and  the  Line  of  Life  closely  connected 
with  the  Line  of  the  Sun  in  both  hands,  with  large 
hands  and  the  Supreme  Angle  well  formed  but  nar- 
row”— Extreme  sensitiveness. 

“Forming  a cross  with  the  Line  of  Liver  on  the 
mount  of  the  Moon” — Diseased  imagination. 

“Joined  with  the  Line  of  Liver,  the  Line  of  Life 
being  forked  at  the  start” — Brain  disease. 

“The  Line  joined  to  the  Line  of  Liver,  with  a 
poor  Line  of  Fate,  and  many  lines  crossing  the  Line 
of  Life,  and  with  an  exaggerate  mount  of  Jupiter”— 
Tendency  to  suicide. 

“Broken,  but  continuing  at  once” — Change  for  the 
better  after  momentary  troubles. 

“Broken  just  before  reaching  the  Line  of  Heart 
under  the  mount  of  Saturn” — Rupture  with  one  loved 
through  mere  fatality. 

“Broken  just  before  reaching  the  line  of  Heart, 
under  the  mount  of  the  Sun” — Rupture  with  one 
due  to  pride  or  foolish  whim. 

“Broken  just  before  reaching  the  Line  of  Heart, 


no  THE  LINE  OF  HEAD 

under  the  mount  of  Mercury” — Rupture  with  one 
loved,  due  to  mercenary  considerations. 

“Broken  and  with  a line  from  the  Line  of  Heart  to 
the  Line  of  Fate” — Widowhood. 


“Long  and  wavy,  with  a Line  of  Liver  also 
wavy,  and  the  second  phalanx  of  the  fingers  relatively 
longer  than  the  others” — Bad  teeth. 

“The  Line  of  Head  poorly  formed,  with  a small 
triangle  at  the  termination  of  the  Line  of  Life,  and  a 
large  mount  of  Mercury” — Loquacity. 

“Joined  to  the  Line  of  Heart  under  the  mount  of 
Saturn” — Fatal  events. 

“Rising  straight  from  the  mount  of  the  Moon  to  the 
'Une  of  Heart,  losing  itself  in  it,  the  Line  of 


THE  LINE  OF  HEAD 


m 


Heart  having  started  from  the  mount  of  Jupiter”-^-# 
Unexpected  happiness. 

‘‘Losing  itself  in  a Line  of  Heart,  which  has  come 
straight  from  the  mount  of  Jupiter” — Love  for  one 
only. 

III.  The  Line  of  Head  Connected  with  Minor  Lines. 

“Small  lines  cutting  the  Line  or  falling  from  it’'— 
Headaches. 

“Broken  or  curved  lines  on  a sloping  Line  of 
Head” — Danger  of  insanity. 

“Lines  starting  from  the  base  of  the  mount  of 
Venus,  and  reaching  the  Line  of  Head” — Pecuniary 
troubles. 

“The  Line  and  the  Lines  of  Life,  Heart  and  Mar- 
riage cut  by  a line  from  the  mount  of  Venus” — 
Troubles  connected  with  marriage. 

“Lines  descending  from  the  Line  and  cutting  the 
Line  of  Life  with  a full  mount  of  Mercury” — -Brain 
troubles. 

“A  line  from  the  Line  to  the  mount  of  Jupiter  end- 
ing in  a star”  (Fig.  24,  d.) — Brilliant  fortune. 

“A  line  starting  from  the  Line  and  terminating  with 
a cross  on  the  mount  of  Jupiter” — In  a poor  hand; 
calamity  coming. 


m 


THE  LINE  OF  HEAD 


“A  line  from  the  Line  to  the  mount  of  Jupiter 
with  an  angle  or  a cross  on  the  upper  bracelet” — 
Wealth. 

“One  clear  line  from  the  Line  of  Head  to  up 
between  the  third  and  fourth  finger” — Profitable  suc- 
cess in  artistic  enterprises. 

“A  straight,  clear  line  from  the  Line  to  a well  devel- 
oped mount  of  the  Sun” — Fame  acquired  in  art. 

“One  clear  line  from  the  Line  to  the  mount  of  Mer- 
cury”— Successful  business  ventures. 

“Joined  to  the  Line  of  Heart  by  a line  that  loses 
itself  in  the  Line  of  Heart”  (Fig.  35,  c.  c.) — Fatal  infat- 
uation. 

“Lines  rising  from  the  Line  to  the  Line  of  Heart 
without  actually  cutting  the  latter”  (Fig.  36,  d.  d.) — 
Life  influenced  by  others. 

“A  Line  at  the  termination  of  the  Line  of  Head  ris- 
ing to  and  being  absorbed  by  the  Line  of  Heart”— 
Affection  controlling  reason. 

“A  Line  from  the  Rascette  cutting  the  Line,  and 
also  the  Line  of  Heart  and  ending  on  the  mount  of 
Jupiter” — Success  as  a lover. 


THE  LINE  OF  HEAD  178 

IV.  Forks  and  Branches  of  the  Line  of  Head. 


^^Small  branches  from  the  to  the  mount  of 

Venus” — Affection  mastering  reason. 

'Three  or  more  branches  rising  to  the  mount  of 
J upiter” — Riches. 

"A  branch  from  the  Line  ascending  to  the  root  of 
the  first  finger” — Ambition. 

"A  branch  from  the  Line  rising  high  into  the  mount 
of  Jupiter  and  then  turning  toward  the  mount  of  Sat- 
urn”— Religious  fanaticism. 

"A  branch  from  the  Line  rising  as  high  as  the  root 
of  the  first  finger,  and  then  turning  over  toward  the 
mount  of  Saturn” — Extravagant  vanity. 

"A  branch  to  the  mount  of  the  Sun  with  a good 
Line  of  Fate” — Riches. 

"Throwing  branches  toward  a well-formed  mount 
of  the  Moon” — Business  prosperity. 

"Forked  with  the  fourth  linger  conical  and  trav- 
ersed by  many  lines” — Perspicacity. 

"Forked,  as  well  as  the  Line  of  Heart,  under  the 
mount  of  Saturn”  (Fig.  26,  c.  c.) — Good  fortune. 

"Sloping  and  forked  at  its  termination,  one  branch 
to  the  mount  of  the  Moon,  the  other  to  the  mount  of 
Mercury” — Hypocrisy. 


174 


THE  LINE  OF  HEAD 


Fork  at  the  termination  with  a small  palm,  a 
short  thumb  and  fingers  broad  at  the  third  phalanx’’ — 
Untrustworthiness. 

''A  long  fine  Fork  at  the  end  of  the  Line,  one  fork 
toward  the  mount  of  the  Moon,  but  not  descending 
too  low” — The  gift  of  clairvoyance. 

''A  Fork  at  the  termination,  both  branches  sloping 
low  down  on  the  mount  of  the  Moon”  (Fig.  25,  b.  b. 
b.) — Wicked  imagination. 

V.  Signs  on  the  Line  of  Head. 

'White  spots  on  the  Line” — Discoveries. 

"White  spots  on  the  Line  under  the  mount  of  Sat- 
urn”— Success  in  money  matters. 

"Lines  crossing  the  Line  of  Heart,  with  white  spots 
on  the  Line  under  the  mount  of  the  Sun” — Literary 
success. 

"White  spots  on  the  Line  close  to  the  mount  of 
Mercury” — Success  in  scientific  researches. 

"Dark  spots  on  the  Line  with  narrow  and  highly 
colored  Lines  of  Life  and  of  Liver” — ^Tendency  to 
fever. 

"A  black  spot  on  the  Line  in  both  hands,  with  a 
Line  from  the  lower  part  of  the  Line  of  Life  rising  to 


THE  LINE  OF  HEAD 


173 


the  mount  of  the  Moon  and  terminating  in  a star” 
(Fig.  26,  c.  c.  c.) — Delirium  tremens. 

“Pale  and  wide  with  black  spots  and  the  Line  of 
Life  forked  at  the  start” — Very  serious  brain  disease. 

“A  bluish  spot  on  the  Line  where  it  forms  a side  of 
the  Triangle,  the  mounts  of  Mars  being  prominent” — 
Tendency  to  murder. 

“Irregular,  either  wavy  or  discolored,  with  a bluish 
spot  on  it” — Liver  troubles. 

“A  red  spot  on  the  Line  itself,  broken  under  the 
mount  of  Saturn” — An  accident  to  the  head. 

“A  cross  on  the  Line,  along  the  Triangle”  (Fig.  25, 
d.) — Grave  accident.  “With  the  Line  wavy  and  slop- 
ing” (Fig.  25,  e.) — Fatal  accident. 

“A  cross  terminating  a branch  of  the  Line,  ascend- 
ing to  the  root  of  the  first  finger” — ^Thwarted  ambi- 
tion. 

“Stopping  abruptly  at  the  Line  of  Saturn,  the  Line 
of  Heart  stopping  there  also,  and  with  a cross  on 
the  Line  of  Head” — Premature  death. 

“A  Star  on  the  Line”  (Fig.  26,  f.) — A wound  on  the 
head. 

“Short  and  with  a fork  at  the  start,  going  up  to  the 


176  THE  LINE  OF  HEAD 

mount  of  Jupiter,  and  ending  there  with  a star^’— 
Fatal  pride. 

‘‘A  star  terminating  a branch  of  the  Line  ascending 
to  the  root  of  the  first  finger” — Successful  ambition. 

‘‘Sloping  almost,  or  quite,  to  the  Rascette  and  ter- 
minating in  a cross  or  star” — Violent  death. 

“Sloping  to  the  mount  of  the  Moon  and  ending  in  a 
star” — Death  by  drowning.  ^ 

“A  circle  on  the  Line  and  a cross  high  up  on  the 
Line  of  Liver” — Blindness.  (By  many  the  circle  alone 
is  considered  sufficient  indication). 

“A  triangle  on  the  Line  close  to  the  mount  of  Mer- 
cury”— Success  in  scientific  researches. 

“An  island  on  the  Line” — Tendency  to  neuralgia. 

“An  island  on  the  Line  with  a Line  of  Liver 
turning  red  as  it  approaches  the  Line  of  Head”— 
Brain  fever. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


THE  LINE  OF  FATE— THE  LINE  OF  LIVEB— THE 
VIA  LASCIVA. 

I now  turn  my  attention  to  a vertical  line,  one  of  the 
five  lines  the  starting  points  of  which  are  to  be  found 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  palm  and  the  terminations 
more  or  less  close  to  the  roots  of  the  fingers.  This 
line,  of  capital  importance  in  all  proper  and  correct 
examinations  of  hands,  is  called 

The  Line  of  Fate; 

also,  often,  the  ‘'Line  of  Chance,'’  “Line  of  Saturn,” 
or  “Saturnian,”  from  its  usual  termination  beneath  the 
finger  of  Saturn  or  second  finger.  It^  many  varia- 
tions and  their  meanings  are  classified  as  follows : 

I.  The  Line  of  Fate  by  Itself. 

“The  Line  running  direct  to  the  mount  of  the  Sun” 
— Celebrity  in  art. 

“Of  a deep,  red  color,  cutting  through  the  finger  of 
Saturn  and  rising  to  the  third  phalanx  of  the  second 
finger” — Dishonorable  death. 

(iTrt 


178 


THE  LINE  OF  FATE 


‘^Chained  when  it  crosses  the  Line  of  Hearth- 
Troubles  in  love. 

“Poorly  traced  as  it  approaches  the  center  of  the 
hand'’ — Troubles  in  middle  life. 

“A  sister  line  following  the  Line  for  a short  space” 
(Fig.  27,  a.) — Life  influenced  by  others. 

“Wavy  and  chained,  or  either,  with  a second  line 
clinging  to  it  (not  a sister  line,  as  such  a line  must  not 
in  any  case  touch  the  line  it  completes)” — Unhappi- 
ness. 

“Absent” — Insignificant,  eventless  life. 

“Starting  in  zigzag  or  with  a series  of  crosses”—- 
Wretched  childhood. 

“Rising  straight  from  the  Rascette  and  penetrating 
into  the  third  phalanx  of  the  second  finger” — An 
extraordinary  destiny.  The  other  signs  in  the  hand 
will  tell  whether  for  good  or  evil.  The  strongest  evi- 
dence of  “fatality”  in  one’s  life, 

“Starting  from  below  the  Rascette”  (Fig.  27,  c.)— ' 
Intense  grief. 

“Rising  from  the  Rascette  and  terminating  at  a 
short  Line  of  Head  (Fig.  27,  d.  d.) — Business  failure. 

“Rising  from  the  mount  of  the  Moon,  with  the  first 


THE  LINE  OF  FATE 


m 


and  third  fingers  long  and  conically  tipped” — ^The  gift 
of  intuition. 

''Rising  from  the  Mount  of  the  Moon,  with  many 
horizontal  lines,  crossing  the  Percussion  of  this 
mount” — Continual  travels. 

"Rising  from  the  inside  of  the  Triangle” — Energy. 

"Rising  from  the  inside  of  the  Triangle  in  both 
hands” — Favorable  opportunities  obtained  through 
hard  labor  and  intelligent  planning. 


"Rising  from  the  Line  of  Head  in  both  hands  with 
no  cross  lines  barring  it” — Success  late  in  life. 

"Rising  from  the  Line  of  Head  and  circling  toward 
the  mount  of  Saturn”  (Fig.  37,  f.  f.) — Laborious  life. 

"Rising  from  the  Line  of  the  Head  with  low  mounts 
of  Jupiter,  the  Sun  and  Mercury” — Dull  intellect 


IBO 


THE  LINE  OF  FATE 


^‘Rising  from  the  Line  of  Life  with  the  mounts  of 
Jupiter  and  Venus  developed” — Benevolence. 

‘‘Rising  from  the  mount  of  the  Moon  and  proceed- 
ing clear  and  uninterrupted  to  the  mount  of  Saturn, 
but  not  cutting  the  root  of  the  finger”  (Fig.  27,  d.) — 
Happiness  in  love. 

“Poorly  formed  and  terminating  abruptly  at  the 
Line  of  Head  in  both  hands” — Misfortunes  through 
mistaken  views. 

“Terminating  at  the  Line  of  Heart  with  an  exagger- 
ate mount  of  Saturn’’ — Despondency. 

“Dwindling  to  a mere  thread  as  it  nears  the  Line 
of  Life  with  a very  high  mount  of  the  Moon” — Exag- 
gerate sentimentality. 

“Terminating  on  the  mount  of  Mercury  in  both 
hands” — Success  in  business. 

“Broken”  (Fig.  27,  c.  c.  c.) — For  each  break  a cas- 
ualty or  a change  in  one’s  existence. 

II.  The  Line  of  Fate  Connected  with  Other  Lines. 

“Broken  and  cut  by  numerous  small  lines” — Con- 
tinued misfortune. 

“The  Line  and  the  Line  of  Life  intersected  by  many 
lines  cutting  them  horizontally” — Grief;  as  many  lines 
of  the  kind,  as  many  great  sorrows. 


THE  LINE  OF  FATE 


181 


“A  deep  line  from  the  base  of  the  mount  of  Venus 
to  the  Line  of  Fate” — Violent  amorous  passion. 
Should  a second  line  act  as  a sister  line  to  this  one” — 
Ungoverned  passion  reaching  happiness  over  great 
obstacles. 

III.  Brandies,  Forks  and  Signs  on  the  Line  of  Fate. 

“Descending  branches  on  either  side  of  the  Line” — 
Pecuniary  troubles. 

“Branches  rising  to  the  mount  of  the  Sun”— 
Wealth. 

“Broken  and  with  a branch  sloping  toward  the 
mount  of  the  Moon” — Danger  from  death  or  unfaith- 
fulness. 

“Crosses  or  indentations  at  the  commencement  of 
the  Line” — ^Unhappiness  in  childhood. 

“Crosses  or  chains  on  the  Line,  except  at  the  con- 
nection with  the  Line  of  Heart” — Pecuniary  troubles. 

“A  cross  at  the  termination  of  the  Line,  with  a grill 
on  the  mount  of  Mercury” — Violent  death. 

“A  cross  in  the  Quadrangle  attached  to  the  Line, 
with  smooth  fingers  and  long,  well  developed  first 
phalanges” — Consolation  derived  from  religious  faith. 

“A  cross  on  the  Line”  (Fig.  2?’,  g.) — Change  of  life; 


182 


THE  LINE  OF  LIVER 


‘'if  only  near  the  Line’’ — ^The  change  will  affect  the 
life  of  a dear  friend. 

“Star  or  stars  on  the  Line” — Threatened,  immineni 
dangers. 

“A  star  at  the  termination  of  the  Line  with  anothei 

i 

star  on  the  mount  of  the  Moon” — Tendency  to  suicide 
(Fig.  27,  h.  h.) 

“A  star  at  the  termination  of  the  Line  with  a stai 
also  at  the  end  of  the  Line  of  Life  in  both  hands”— 
Death  by  paralysis.  ' 

“An  island  on  the  Line  ending  in  a fork  between 
the  mount  of  Venus  and  the  Line  of  Heart’^ — A 
divorce.  ^ 

The  Line  of  Liver. 

This  is  the  sixth  of  the  “seven  great  lines,”  which 

% 

rank  as  follows,  in  their  importance,  if  not  in  the  order 
we  have  studied  them  together: 

1.  Line  of  Life,  or  “Vital.” 

2.  Line  of  Heart,  or  “Mensal.” 

3.  Line  of  Head,  or  “Cerebral.” 

4.  Line  of  Fate,  or  “Saturnian.” 

5.  Line  of  Mars,  or  “Sister  Line  of  Life.” 

6.  Line  of  Liver,  or  “Line  of  Health,**  or 
“Hepatica.” 


THE  LINE  OF  LIVER 


183 


7.  Line  of  the  Sun,  or  'Xine  of  Apollo,”  or  ^'Line 
ot  Brilliancy.” 

Of  this  ‘'Line  of  I^iver”  the  farthest  starting  point 
(often  jnodified)  is  close  to  the  Rascette  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  Line  of  Life,  and  its  extreme  termination  is  on 
the  mount  of  Mercury.  (See  Fig.  1 and  Fig.  13.) 

Its  particularity  resides  in  the  fact  that  “Its  absence 
is  considered  x great  boon,”  and  a sure  sign  of  steady 
health  and  pec^iniary  success. 

Now  for  it  in  !e^.ail: 


1.  The  Line  of  Liver  hy  Itself. 

“Not  joined  with  the  Line  of  Life  and  with  a well 
formed  Rascette” — Longevity. 


m THE  LIFE  OF  LIVER 

'Taking  its  course  along  the  Percussion  on  the 
mount  of  the  Moon’’  (Fig.  29,  d.  d.) — Many  voyages, 

"Long,  narrow,  clear  and  straight,  with  a Line  of 
Head  extending  clear  across  the  hand” — Good  mem- 
ory. 

"Very  narrow  and  highly  colored,  with  a similar 
Line  of  Life  and  dark  spots  on  the  Line  of  Head” — 
Feverish  disposition. 

"Irregular  or  wavy,  with  a poor,  narrow  Line  of 
Head” — Indigestion. 

"Undulating” — Billiousness;  in  its  worst  form,  with 
a damp  hand. 

"Long  and  wavy,  with  a similar  Line  of  Fate,  and 
the  second  phalanx  of  all  fingers  relatively  longer  than 
the  others” — Bad  teeth. 

"Undulating,  with  a poor  Line  of  Head  and  a total 
absence  of  a Line  of  Heart” — Weak  heart. 

"Imperfectly  traced,  with  a narrow  Quadrangle, 
caused  by  the  Line  of  Heart  sloping  toward  the  Line 
of  Head” — Asthma,  hay  fever. 

"Poor,  with  all  the  other  lines  in  the  hand  also 
feebly  marked” — Paralysis. 

"A  poor  Line,  with  a Line  of  Head  also  poor  and  a 


THE  LINE  OF  LIVER 


185 


cross  at  the  termination  of  the  Line  of  Life” — Poor 
general  health. 

“Red  at  the  start” — Tendency  to  palpitation  of  the 
heart. 

“Thin  and  red  about  the  middle” — Tendency  to 
fever. 


“Of  a red  color  near  the  Line  of  Head” — Constant 
headaches. 


“Of  varying  colors  and  red  where  it  crosses  the 
Line  of  Head” — Apoplexy. 

“Of  a yellow  color” — Internal  complaints. 
“Mounting  to  the  Mount  of  the  Sun,  with  a com- 
plete Rascette  well  marked” — ^Wealth. 


186 


THE  LINE  OF  LIVER 


^‘Ascending  to  the  Mount  of  Mercury,  with  the 
Third  Angle  of  the  Triangle  broad  and  clear’^ — Long- 
evity. 

'Turning  a kind  of  semi-circle  from  the  Mount  of 
the  Moon  to  the  lower  Mount  of  Mars” — Clairvoy- 
ance. (This  is  really  the  "Line  of  Intuition,”  which 
see.) 

"Entirely  absent” — Good  health. 

"Absent,  with  hard  hands  and  pointed-tipped  fin- 
gers”— Activity. 

"Absent,  and  with  a developed  Mount  of  Mercury” 
— Vivacity. 

"Running  close  to  the  Percussion  while  crossing  ths 
Mount  of  the  Moon,  with  that  Mount  and  that  of 
Mercury  much  developed  (Fig.  29  d,)” — Captiousness> 

II.  The  Line  of  Liver  in  Connection  with  Other  Lines. 

"Rising  from  the  Line  of  Life,  with  the  Line  of 
Head  approaching  the  Line  of  Heart” — Tendency  to 
faimting  fits. 

"Closely  connected  with  the  Line  of  Life,  but  irreg- 
ular in  its  course,  with  red  or  bluish  spots  on  the  Line 
of  Life  (Fig.  30,  a.  a.)” — Heart  disease. 


THE  LINE  OF  LIVER 


187 


'‘Forming  a clear  cross  in  both  hands  with  the  Line 
of  Head” — ^Talent  for  occult  sciences. 

“Joined  with  the  Line  of  Head,  with  a Line  of  Life 
cut  by  many  fine  lines” — Brain  disease. 

“Forming  a cross,  with  the  Line  of  Head  on  the 
mount  of  the  Moon” — Over-excited  imagination. 

“Deep  and  not  extending  beyond  the  Quadrangle, 
while  touching  both  the  Lines  of  Head  an3  Heart  on 
either  side  (Fig.  31,  f.  f.) — Danger  of  brain  fever. 

“Forming  a small  (minor)  Triangle,  with  the  Line 
of  Head  and  the  Line  of  Fate” — Aptitude  for  occult 
sciences,  or  a gift  of  intuition,  “and  if  very  straight 
and  clear” — Clairvoyance. 

“Accompanied  by  the  Via  Lasciva  as  its  sister  line 
(Fig.  30,  b.  b.) — Great  happiness.  Ardor  in  Love. 

m.  Branches  and  Signs  on  the  Line  of  Liver. 

"Branches  from  the  Line  toward  the  Line  of  the 
Sun”  (Fig.  29,  e.  e.  e.)— Change  in  one’s  business. 

“A  cross  high  up  on  the  Line  with  a circle  on  the 
Line  of  the  Head” — Blindness. 

"Crosses  near  the  Line,  but  not  on  it” — Casualties. 

"A  star  on  the  Line” — ^Absence  of  any  family. 


188 


THE  VIA  LASCIVA 


“A  star  close  to  the  Line  in  the  Triangle” — Blind- 
ness. 

“An  island  on  the  Line,  with  the  Line  of  Fate  cut 
up  by  small  lines  and  the  Line  of  the  Sun  being  either 
absent  or  poorly  traced”  (Fig.  29,  a.  a.) — Bankruptcy. 

“With  many  islands  and  narrow,  fluted  nails”  (Fig. 
31,  e.  e.) — Delicacy  of  the  respiratory  organs. 

^ The  Via  Lasciva,  or  “Milky  Way.” 

“Traced  clearly  in  both  hands” — Sensuality. 

“Acting  as  a sister  Line  to  the  Line  of  Liver”  (Fig. 
29,  b.  b.) — Great  happiness,  excellent  health. 

“Starting  from  inside  the  mount  of  Venus,  wavy 
and  long”  (Fig.  30,  a.) — Lasciviousness. 

“Reaching  to  the  mount  of  Mercury”  (Fig.  30,  d.) — 
Good  luck,  eloquence  and  talent  as  a statesman. 

“Jstiaed  to  the  Line  of  the  Sun  by  a line”  (Fig.  30, 
c>-»Wealth. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


THE  LINE  OF  THE  SUN—THE  LINE  OF  MAREIAGE 

—THE  LINE  OF  INTUITION— THE  GIRDLE  OF 
VENUS. 

The  Line  of  the  Sun. 

The  seventh  and  last  of  the  “great  Lines”  also  starts 
low  down  the  hand  (more  or  less  so),  and  its  termin- 
ating point  is  upon  the  mount  of  the  Sun.  As  stated 
twice  before,  its  various  names  are  “Line  of  the  Sun/' 
“Line  of  Apollo”  and  “Line  of  Brilliancy.” 

It  completes  and  modifies  the  prognostics  found 
upon  the  mount  of  the  Sun  and  refers  more  particu- 
larly to  Success,  or  Failure,  in  art,  literature,  eloquence, 
in  everything  that  contributes  to  render  its  happy 
possessor  favorably  conspicuous  in  the  eyes  of  his,  or 
her,  fellow-creatures.  Here  are  the  principal  observ- 
ations gathered  concerning  this  line.  (See  Fig.  1, 
and  Fig.  13.) 

I.  The  Line  of  the  Sun  by  Its^f. 

“Well  formed  in  both  hands” — Success. 

“Long  and  uncrossed” — Riches. 

(189) 


I 


THE  LINE  OF  THE  StJN 

‘'With  a hollow  palm  and  twisted  fingers’' — ^Talent 
used  for  an  evil  purpose. 

“Pale  or  simply  poorly  colored” — Artistic  instincts 
but  insufficient  powers  of  execution;  the  “Art  ama- 
teur’s Line.” 

“Deeply  traced,  with  a mount  of  Jupiter  high  in 
both  hands” — Friendship  of  people  in  high  position. 

“Clearly  marked  in  both  hands,  with  one  single  star 
on  the  mount  of  the  Sun  (Fig.  28  a)” — Celebrity  due 
to  talent. 


“Narrow,  deep  and  straight  and  ascending  the 
mount  of  the  Sun,  uncrossed  in  both  hands” — Wealth. 
“Terminating  in  a series  of  small  lines  when  near 


THE  LINE  OF  THE  SUN 


191 


the  mount  of  the  Sun’' — Failure,  the  nature  of  which 
is  determined  by  other  indications. 

good  Line  with  a good  Line  of  Fate  and  a high 
mount  of  Jupiter” — Ambition. 

‘Tound  in  both  hands,  with  a long,  narrow,  sloping 
Line  of  Head  and  the  second  and  third  fingers  nearly 
of  the  same  length” — Gambling  propensities. 

‘'Broken  repeatedly” — ^Versatility  that  brings  neith- 
er money  nor  fame  to  the  subject. 

“Absent  or  badly  traced,  with  an  island  on  the  Line 
of  Liver  and  a Line  of  Fate  cut  up  by  small  lines  (Fig. 
89,  a.  a.)” — Bankruptcy. 

II.  The  Line  of  the  Sun  Connected  with  Other  Lines. 

“Rising  from  the  Line  of  Life  in  both  hands” — 
Success  in  art.  Brilliant  fortune. 

“Cut  by  the  Marriage  Line  (Fig.  28,  d.)” — Loss  of 
social  position  due  to  unsuitable  marriage. 

“A  branch  from  the  Line  of  the  Head  to  the  Line” 
— Pecuniary  success. 

“Confused  and  broken  inside  the  Quadrangle” — 
Series  of  misfortunes  in  the  struggle  for  artistic  recog- 
nition, but  final  success.  Generally  connected  with 
the  Line  of  Life  by  a “worry  line.” 

“Tv;c  or  three  lines  rising  from  the  Line,  but  irreg- 


192 


THE  LINE  OF  THE  SUN 


ular  or  uneven  or  crossed  by  other  lines  (Fig.  38,  b b 
b b)” — Failure  in  art  by  want  of  concentration. 

“Cut  by  a line  from  the  mount  of  Saturn” — ^The  lack 
of  financial  resources  will  prevent  a successful  artistic 
career. 


“A  good  line,  but  with  two  wavy,  irregular  lines  on 
the  mount  of  the  Sun”  (Fig.  28,  c.  c.) — Misdirected 
genius. 

“Two  deep  parallel  lines,  one  at  either  side  of  the 
Line  (also  deep)  on  the  mount  of  the  Sun” — Glory, 
untold  fortune. 

“Cut  by  a line  from  the  mount  of  Mercury” — Suc- 
cess prevented  by  fickleness  in  the  disposition  of  the 
subject. 


THE  LINE  OF  THE  SUN 


193 


^‘Many  small  lines  that  touch  the  Line  horizontally 
without  cutting  it’" — Artistic  career  hindered  by  envi- 
ous rivals;  also  loss  of  fortune  of  the  parents’  subject 
during  his  or  her  youth. 

HI.  Forks,  Branches  and  Signs  on  the  Line  of  the  Sun. 

‘‘Forked  into  a pointed  trident,  starting  from  the 
Line  of  Heart” — Fame,  riches,  all  due  to  personal 
merit. 

“Forked  into  three  curved  branches  at  the  termin- 
ation”— Unrealized  yearnings  toward  vast  wealth. 

“Terminating  in  three  even  branches  of  the  same 
length,  one  toward  the  mount  of  Mercury,  one  toward 
the  mount  of  Saturn”  (Fig.  29,  c.  c.) — Great  fame  and 
honors. 

“A  black  spot  on  the  connecting  point  between  the 
Line  and  the  Line  of  Heart” — Imminent  danger  of 
blindness. 

“A  cross  close  to  the  Line,  sometimes  touching  it” 
— Pious  disposition. 

“A  star  at  the  termination  of  the  Line” — Success 
due  to  the  assistance  and  good  will  of  others. 

“An  island  with  indication  of  illness  on  the  Line  of 
Life”  (Fig.  29,  b.  b.) — Heart  disease. 


194  THE  LINES  OF  MARRIAGE 

The  Lines  of  Marriage. 

Being  about  to  read  those  ''Lines  of  Marriage  (or 
Attachment)/’  that  are  so  curiously  interrogated, 
almost  among  the  first,  or  at  least  immediately  after 
the  duration  of  life  has  been  ascertained,  it  is  my  duty 
to  state  here,  in  unmistakable  terms,  that  by  marriages 
are  understood,  in  Chirosophy,  all  such  alliances 
between  sexes  as  are  physiologically  equivalent  to 
bonds  consecrated  by  Law  or  Church.  It  does  not 
refer  to  short  affairs  of  the  heart,  but  to  all  such  inter- 
courses the  duration  and  the  completeness  of  which 
are  apt  to  leave  absolute  and  durable  marks,  at  the 
tiil.e,  upon  the  nervous  system  of  the  subject. 

I wish  to  add  here  that  there  are  in  the  hands  a 
number  of  other  signs  that  refer  to  marital  relaticms, 
their  incipiency,  their  regular  or  irregular  course,  and 
their  termination.  It  will  be  found  of  the  highest 
importance  to  have  these  other  signs  looked  for  before 
accepting  as  final  the  indications  of  the  Line  or  Lines 
of  Marriage  proper.  I propose  grouping  all  these 
together  in  my  final  chapter,  entitled  "Love  and  For- 
tune.^’ I mentioned  some  of  them  already,  in  Chapter 
X.,  under  the  heading  of  "Lines  or  Rays  of  Influ- 
ence.’’ Now  I shall  study  with  you  those  lines  foimd 


THE  LINES  OF  MARRIAGE 


195 


on  the  Percussion  within  the  boundaries  of  the  mount 
of  Mercury  (see  Fig.  1 and  Fig.  13),  and  known  as 
Lines  of  Marriage. 

‘'Sloping  down  toward  the  Line  of  Heart’’  (Fig.  31, 
3.) — W idowhood. 

“Broken” — Separation  or  divorce. 

“The  Line  as  well  as  the  Lines  of  Life,  Head  and 
tleart,  cut  by  a line  starting  from  the  mount  of  Venus” 
^Fig.  31,  c.  c.) — Troubles  connected  with  marriage. 

“Well  traced  but  with  capillaries  dropping  in  the 
direction  of  the  Line  of  Heart” — Troubles  caused  by 
die  511ness  of  the  person  to  whom  the  subject  is  mar- 


'"’Cut  iyy  a long  line  from  the  root  of  the  fourth 
Anger” — Opposition  to  the  marriage. 


i96 


'--THE  LINE  OF  INTUITION 


'‘The  Line  terminating  in  a fork  and  drooping  to- 
ward the  Line  of  Heart”  (Fig.  28,  e.) — Divorce. 

“The  Line  forked  on  the  mount  of  Mercury;  if  in 
the  inside  of  the  hand” — Engagement  broken  off  by 
the  subject  in  whose  hand  the  fork  is  found.  “If 
forked  at  the  other  end,”  the  opposite  reading  holds 
good. 

“A  branch  downward,  touching  the  Line  of  the 
Sun”— A mesalliance. 

“A  branch  upward  to  the  mount  of  the  Sun” — ^The 
subject  will  marry  a person  in  high  position. 

“A  black  spot  on  the  Line”— Widowhood. 

“Drooping,  with  a cross  where  the  drooping  begins” 
— ^The  person  to  whom  the  subject  is  married  will  die 
suddenly. 

“An  island  on  the  Line”~Marital  troubles  to  last 
as  long  as  the  island  does. 

“Full  of  little  islands  or  downward  branches” — ^The 
subject  ought  not  to  marry. 

The  sixth  line  in  the  second  septet  of  principal 
Lines  is 


The  Line  of  Intuition, 

Also  called  “Line  of  the  Moon,”  or  “of  Luna,”  as 
it  is  entirely  included  within  the  boundaries^of  the 


THE  GIRDLE  OF  VENUS 


197 


mount  of  the  Moon.  In  fact  it  is  considered  by  many 
authors  as  a peculiar  formation  of  the  ‘‘Line  of  Liver’^ 
or  of  the  “Via  Lasciva,”  as  it  is  very  seldom  met  in  a 
hand  that  contains  either  of  these  Lines.  However, 
I give  it  a separate  place  m my  lessons,  as,  even  should 
it  be  considered  as  a variation  of  the  above  Lines,  it 
would  preserve,  just  the  same,  the  significance  it  pos- 
sesses in  the  observations  noted  below.  Its  regular 
place  is  marked  on  Fig.  1 and  Fig.  13. 

“Clear  and  straight  with  a cross  in  the  Quadrangle 
beneath  the  mount  of  Saturn’’ — Aptitude  for  the  occult 
sciences. 

“Short,  tortuous  and  branched,  with  the  mount  of 
Mars  exaggerated” — Captiousness. 

“Forming  a triangle  with  the  Line  of  Fate  and  Line 
of  Head” — Aptitude  for  the  occult  sciences. 

“Found  in  both  hands  and  crossed  by  many  small 
lines  inclining  toward  the  Line  of  Fate  or  the  Line  of 
Life” — Voyages. 

“Starting  in  an  island”  (Fig.  32,  a.  a.) — Somnam< 
bulism,  clairvoyance. 

The  Girdle  of  Venus. 

The  Seventh  of  the  Second  Septet  of  principal  Lines, 
the  “Girdle  of  Venus,”  also  called  “Ring  of  Saturn/' 


191 


THE  GIRDLE  OF  VENUS 


or  ‘^Ring  of  Uranus’’  (the  latter  appellation  very 
ancient  and  unusual),  has  been  considered  all  along 
as  one  of  the  worst  signs  to  be  met  with  in  any  hand, 
especially  if  broken  or  cut  by  stray  bars  or  lines.  It 
is  certain  that,  in  connection  with  a high,  much  grilled 
mount  of  Venus,  an  exaggerate  mount  of  the  Moon 
and  a soft,  flabby  hand,  the  ‘‘Girdle  of  Venus’^  is  posi- 
tive, indisputable  evidence  of  extreme  vicious  disposi- 
tion, ready  to  almost  any  excess,  even  without  the  pale 
of  the  law.  It  is  also  a proof  of  stubborn,  incurable 
laziness. 

But  as  the  Girdle  is  also  met  often  in  hands  other- 
wise excellent,  with  the  hard  palm  of  the  active,  prac- 
tical man  or  woman,  and  moderate  (if  not  absent) 
mounts  of  the  Moon  and  Venus,  I felt,  for  years  past, 
that  more  thorough  investigations  must  be  made  to 
complete  and  correct  the  meaning  commonly  ascribed 
to  this  Line,  found  so  very  frequently  in  the  hands 
of  some  of  my  most  respected  American  friends. 

The  conclusion  I arrived  at  in  this  respect  having 
been  found  to  agree  in  the  main  with  the  opinions  of 
accomplished  British  Palmists,  such  as  Mr.  Heron- 
Alien,  Miss  Oxenford,  Mr.  J.  J Spark,  Mr.  Henry 
Frith^  Mr.  Paul  Bello,  “An  Adept./'  Mrs.  Katherin 


THE  GIRDLE  OF  VENUS 


199 


St.  Hill,  etc.,  I bethought  myself  of  what  my  beloved 
master,  Adrien  Desbarrolles,  said  once  to^  me,  a quar- 
ter of  a century  ago,  when  the  subject  of  the  Girdle  of 
Venus  was  being  broached  in  one  of  our  exhaustive 
conversations. 

‘The  disastrous  effect  upon  the  subject’s  whole  dis^ 
position  of  the  existence  of  “rAnneau  de  Venus”  (this 
is  the  French  name  for  the  Girdle  of  Venus)  may  be 
very  radically  modified  by  the  presence  of  a long 
Thumb  and  a fine  Line  of  Head.  These  terrible 
instincts  toward  the  extremes  of  profligacy  can  even 
be  turned  into  account  by  a well-trained  will  power; 
musicians  and  poets  especially  may  derive  from  it 
additional  inspiration,  provided  they  keep  its  strange 
influence  within  the  strictest  bounds.  Passion  being 
caused  in  most  cases  by  a superabundance  of  animal, 
or  rather  vital,  spirits,  may  be  made  use  of  to  increase 
the  magnetic  fluid  emanating  from  these  elect  crea- 
tures whom  we  feel  instinctively  to  be  endowed  with 
genius;  it  becomes  then  like  a devastating  torrent 
which,  between  stone-hewn  dams,  ever  kept  in  the 
strongest  repairs,  loses  its  power  for  evil  and  drives 
instead  the  wheels  of  work — and  wealth — dispensing 
factories/’ 


200  THE  GIRDLE  OF  VENUS 

And  I must  add  to  these  wise  remarks  of  the 
immortal  Desbarrolles  that  the  very  fact  of  the  Girdle 
of  Venus  being  met  with  in  so  many  American  hands, 
otherwise  endowed  with  the  best  of  signs,  triumph- 
antly confirms  the  Master’s  dictum;  for  nowhere  else 
in  the  world  has  energy  wrought  greater  miracles  and 
transformed  so  rapidly  into  a land  of  progress  and 
plenty  such  an  immensity  of  prairies  and  forests  left 
to  waste  away  since  the  days  of  creation.  Here, 
indeed,  the  ''Girdle  of  V enus”  and  its  mysterious,  con- 
quering force  have  done  their  marvelous  task  to  the 
everlasting  enrichment  of  human  civilization. 

With  the  reserves  made  in  the  above  paragraph,  I 
beg  leave  to  present  to  the  reader  a few  indications 
relating  to  the  Girdle  of  Venus. 

"Clear,  well  formed” — ^Wit,  love  and  talent  for  art 
and  literature. 

"Well  formed  but  cut  by  a deep  bar  beneath  the 
mount  of  the  Sun  (Fig.  31,  d.  d.)” — Reverses  due  to 
women.  "In  a very  bad  hand” — Loss  of  fortune  due 
to  debauchery. 

"Going  off  at  its  termination  into  the  mount  of  Mer- 
cury” (Fig.  31,  c.  c.) — Energy  and  ardor  in  every 
undertaking. 


THE  GIRDLE  OF  VENUS 


201 


“Cut  near  the  mount  of  the  Sun  by  a line  starting 
from  the  Percussion”  (Fig.  32,  b.  b.) — Life  spoiled  by 
one  affection. 

“Cut  by  many  small  lines,  with  the  Mount  of  Venus 
and  the  Moon  exaggerated” — Hysteria. 

“Broken” — Sensuality  at  its  worst. 

“Cutting  the  lines  of  Liver,  of  Fate  and  the  Sun, 
and  seemingly  shattering  them  at  the  intersecting 
points” — Obstacles  to  success  due  to  a wild  pursuit  of 
pleasure. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


THE  QUADRANGLE— THE  TRIANGLE. 

There  are  two  figures  in  the  hands  traced  by  the 
combination  of  the  principal  Lines  which  I had  often 
occasion  to  mention  but  not  to  define  or  expatiate 
upon  all  through  these  pages.  The  upper  one  is  '%e 
Quadrangle/'  the  lower  one  'The  Triangle/’  There 
are  a good  many  highly  important  details  and  obser» 
vations  connected  with  these  two  figures,  and  I find 
that  the  moment  has  come  to  give  them  to  you  in  their 
proper  sequence. 

The  Quadrangle, 

also  called  "The  Table  of  the  Hand,”  is  the  horizontal 
elongated  square  stretching  itself  clear  across  the  hand 
between  the  Lines  of  Heart  and  Head.  Toward  the 
Percussion  it  includes  the  upper  Mount  of  Mars — i.  e. 
if  the  Quadrangle  is  not  twisted  out  of  its  normal 
shape  by  some  malformation. 

I object  to  many  Chirosophists’  ruling,  restricting 
the  Quadrangle  to  the  square  between  the  Lines  of 

(aoa) 


THE  QUADRANGLE  203 

Heart  and  Head,  limiting  it  at  one  end  by  a perpendic- 
ular line  starting  from  between  the  first  and  second 
fingers,  and  at  the  farther  extremity  by  another  per- 
pendicular line  starting  down  from  between  the  third 
and  fourth  fingers.  No,  the  '^Quadrangle’’  stretches 
clear  across,  and  its  readings  are  as  follows: 

"Well  formed  and  larger  toward  the  Percussion”— 
Straightforwardness. 

"Wide,  with  a good  Line  of  Head  and  a well  formed 
second  phalanx  of  the  thumb” — Broadmindedness. 

"Narrow  through  the  lowering  of  the  Line 
Heart”— Meanness. 

"Narrow  on  account  of  the  Line  of  Head  rising 
toward  the  Line  of  Heart” — Timidity. 

"Narrow  in  its  center,  with  the  third  phalanx  of  the 
fourth  finger  relatively  long” — Deceit. 

"Narrow,  with  an  excessive  mount  of  Jupiter”™Ex- 
treme  religious  ideas;  asceticism. 

"Narrow,  and  formed  by  red  lines,  with  a short 
Line  of  Heart  and  the  mounts  of  Mars  exaggerate” — > 
Cruelty. 

"Very  narrow  in  both  hands,  with  a high  mount  of 
Mercury” — Lying. 


204 


THE  TRIANGLE 


‘‘Narrow,  with  exaggerate  mounts  of  Mars  and 
Mercury” — Unfairness. 

“Narrow,  with  an  imperfectly  traced  Line  of  Liver” 
— ^Asthma,  hay  fever. 

“Narrow,  with  fingers  curling  inside  the  palm” — 
Stiffness  in  all  intercourse  with  one’s  fellow-creatures. 

“Furrowed  by  many  lines  with  a large  hand  with 
long  palm  and  short  fingers” — ^Weak  understanding. 

“A  cross  in  the  Quadrangle  beneath  the  mount  of 
Saturn,  with  a clear,  straight  Line  of  Intuition” — Apt- 
itude for  occult  sciences. 

“A  cross  in  the  Quadrangle  near  the  upper  mount  of 
Mars” — Lucky  voyage. 

“A  star  in  the  Quadrangle”  (Fig.  33,  e.) — Great 
honors. 

“A  well  formed  star  in  the  Quadrangle” — ^A  man 
good  and  true,  at  the  mercy  of  ^the  woman  he  loves 
(with  other  signs,  of  course). 

I now  reach  this  great  and  capital  feature  of  the 
hand. 

The  Triangle, 

often  called  the  “Plain  of  Mars”  and  as  such  very  fre- 
quently observed  in  connection  with  the  two  “mounts 
of  Mars.”  This  figure  is  formed  by  the  Line  of  Life, 


THE  TRIANGLE 


205 


the  Line  of  Head,  and  the  Line  of  Liver.  When 
the  latter  does  not  exist  the  third  side  of  the  Triangle 
must  be  supplied  by  an  imaginary  line  following  the 
course  of  a good  Line  of  Liver. 

Each  of  the  three  Angles  in  the  Triangle  has  a 
special  name,  often  recurring  in  Chirological  liter- 
ature. 

The  angle  formed  by  the  intersection  of  the  Lines 
of  Life  and  Head  is  called  the  “Supreme  Angle”  or 
the  “First  Angle.” 

The  Angle  formed  by  the  intersection  of  the  Lines 
of  Life  and  Head  is  called  the  “Supreme  Angle”  or 
“Angle  to  the  Right.”  (Right  Angle  is  a misnomer 
to  be  avoided). 

The  Angle  formed  by  the  intersection  of  the  Line 
of  Liver  and  the  Line  of  Life  is  called  “Third  Angle” 
or  “Angle  to  the  Left.” 

These  indications  refer  to  the  “Great  Triangle”  or 
“Plain  of  Mars.”  A “Smaller  Triangle”  is  met  with, 
inside  the  larger  one,  by  the  combination  of  the  Lines 
of  Head,  Life  and  Fate. 

I find  it  unnecessary  to  pay  any  special  attention  to 
this  minor  figure,  but  thought  proper  to  just  mention 
it  here,  as  its  name  may  be  quoted  in  some  article  on 


206  THE  TRIANGLE 

Palmistry  and  the  absence  of  information  in  reference 
to  it  might  lead  you  astray. 

The  following  observations  all  refer  to  the  forma- 
tion of  the  “Great  Triangle”  and  the  chance  Lines  and 
Signs  within  its  limits: 

I.  Pormation  of  the  Triangle. 

“Raised  in  the  palm” — Aggressive  temperament. 

“Raised  in  both  hands” — Bravery. 

“Broad  and  well  traced” — Benevolence. 

“Very  broad  and  large,  with  developed  mounts  of 
Mars” — ^Audacity. 

“Large  and  well  traced,  with  the  Line  of  Heart 
forked  at  its  termination” — Generosity. 

“Wide  and  clearly  marked,  with  the  three  Lines  of 
a good  color” — Good  understanding. 

“Flat  in  both  hands,  with  a very  low  mount  of  Sat- 
urn”— Insignificant  life. 

“Low,  with  an  exaggerate  mount  of  the  Moon  and 
a single  uncrossed  Bracelet  well  traced” — Lethargy. 

“Very  low  in  both  hands,  with  a short  and  thick 
Line  of  Heart” — Catalepsy. 

“Narrow,  through  the  Line  of  Life  inclining  to  the 
Line  of  Head” — Business  failure. 


THE  TRIANGLE  20? 

“Badly  formed  with  a Line  of  Heart  straight  to  the 
Percussion” — Avarice. 

“Heavy  and  pale,  with  a large,  broad  palm,  a short 
thumb  and  thickset  fingers,  the  third  phalanges  puffed 
up” — Materialism. 

“Much  lined,  with  exaggerate  mounts  of  Mercury 
and  Mars” — Impatient,  fretful  disposition,  easily 
aroused  to  anger. 

“Upward  branches  from  the  Line  of  Life  terminat- 
ing inside  the  Triangle  (Fig,  33,  a,  a,  a,)” — Riches  and 
honors  coming  to  the  subject  after  great  struggles. 

II.  Each  of  the  Angles  by  Itself. 

“The  Second  Angle  very  broad  and  heavy  with  a 
poor  Line  of  Heart  and  a narrow  Quadrangle” — ^Un- 
charitableness. 

“The  Second  Angle  broad  and  feeble” — Laziness. 

“The  Third  Angle  well  formed  in  a broad  Triangle” 
— ^Good,  all-around  health. 

“The  Third  Angle  well  cut  and  narrow,  with  a well 
developed  mount  of  Mercury” — Wit. 

“The  Third  Angle  broad  and  clear,  with  a Line  of 
Liver  ascending  to  the  mount  of  Mercury” — -Longe- 
vity. 


THE  TRIANGLE 


“The  Third  Angle  badly  formed,  with  small  lines 
cutting  the  Line  of  Life” — Neuralgia. 

“The  Third  Angle  very  obtuse,  with  a crescent 
inside” — Unfaithfulness. 

“The  Third  Angle  very  obtuse,  with  the  first  phalanx 
of  the  thumb  weak  and  the  mount  of  Venus  exagger- 
ate”— Faithlessness. 

HI.  Signs  "Within  the  Triangle. 

“A  cross  in  the  upper  part  of  the  Triangle”  (Fig.  32, 

g. ) — Casualty,  law  suits,  serious  change  in  one’s  life. 
“A  cross  at  the  lower  part  of  the  Triangle”  (Fig.  32, 

h. ) — Events,  fortunate  but  late  in  life. 

“A  cross  in  the  Triangle  under  the  mount  of  Sat- 
urn, with  long  fingers  and  the  first  joints  knotted” — ■ 
Skepticism. 

“A  cross  in  the  Triangle” — ^Troubles  from  others. 
“An  irregular  cross  in  the  center,  with  cross  lines 
on  the  mounts  of  Saturn”  (Fig.  32,  i.) — Unhappiness. 

“A  star  in  the  Triangle  near  the  Line  of  Liver”  (Fig. 
32,  f.) — Blindness. 

“A  badly  formed,  solitary  star  in  the  Triangle” — 
Troubles  in  love. 

“A  circle  inside  the  Triangle”  (Fig.  33,  c.)— 
Troubles  from  a woman. 


THE  TRIANGLE 


20£ 

‘A  circle  in  the  Triangle,  with  an  exaggerate  mount 
of  the  Moon” — Captiousness. 

“A  triangle  within  the  Triangle  between  the  Line 
of  Life  and  the  Line  of  Fate” — Military  renown. 

“A  crescent  within  the  Triangle”  (Fig.  33,  b.)—- 
Inconstancy. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


CHANCE  LINES— LINES  AND  SIGNS  ON  THUMB 
AND  PINGEBS. 

My  examination  of  the  fourteen  principal  Lines 
generally  met  with  on  the  average  hand  is  now  com- 
plete. To  conclude  these  practical  lessons  and  before 
devoting  my  final  chapter  to  the  application  of  what 
has  been  taught  herein,  I wish  to  give  a little  space  to 

Chance  Lines  Pound  Prequently  on  the  Palm, 
and  Lines  and  Signs  found  on  the  Thumb  and  Fingers. 

In  the  first  department  are  included,  by  rights,  these 
numerous  Lines  and  Rays  I had  occasion  to  explain 
under  the  headings  of  the  various  Lines.  A number 
of  these,  starting  inside  the  mount  of  Venus,  I have 
exhaustively  examined  in  my  Chapter  X.,  under  the 
name  of  “Lines  of  Influence.”  These  are  generally 
called  “Worry  Lines,”  as  their  presence  is  seldom  a 
token  of  pleasant  happenings.  In  Paragraph  III.  of 
the  chapter  devoted  to  the  “Line  of  Heart”  (Chapter 

(aio) 


ABOUT  CHANCE  LINES  211 

XIL,)  other  Chance  Lines  are  noted.  This  is  so  again 
in  Paragraph  III.  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  the  “Line 
cf  Head,”  in  Chapter  XIII.,  and  many  other  such 
Lines  are  mentioned  and  their  meaning  explained  in 
connection  with  the  other  principal  Lines.  I need 
only  refer  the  careful  reader  to  these  various  chapters 
to  help  him  read  aright  a number  of  these  additional 
Rays,  Bars  or  Lines. 

To  discover,  without  the  assistance  of  book  or 
teacher,  the  meaning  of  other  “Chance  or  Influence 
Lines”  not  described  and  interpreted  in  this  volume, 
the  reader  must  have  recourse  to  the  general  princi- 
ples that  form  the  solid  foundation  of  Chirosophy  and 
distinguish  this  highly  estimable  science  from  the  hap- 
hazard and  dishonest  work  of  common  fortune-tellers. 

As  I shall  never  be  weary  of  repeating  it,  the  chir- 
osophist  obtains  his  knowledge  of  past  and  future 
events  from  a thorough,  systematic  study  of  the  sub- 
ject’s character  and  disposition,  physical,  intellectual 
and  psychic.  Chirognomy,  the  examination  of  the 
Mounts,  the  close  survey  of  the  principal  lines,  are  the 
three  elements  that  allow  the  hand-reader  to  erect  a 
perfect  superstructure  of  details  and  results.  With- 
out them,  he  can  do  nothing;  while  without  the  minor 


m 


ON  CHANCE  LINES 


indications,  such  as  '‘chance  lines,’'  "signs,”  etc.,  he 
could  yet  obtain  an  accurate  outline  of  the  subject’s 
whole  existence.  In  the  same  manner  this  exhaus- 
tive examination  will  furnish  him,  every  time,  with 
sufficient  data  for  the  explanation  of  such  lines,  etc., 
as  have  not  been  noted  down  in  these  lessons  with 
their  specific  meanings.  Just  go  to  work  in  the  proper 
spirit,  with  the  necessary  patience,  and  build  slowly 
but  surely,  leaving  all  "minutiae”  aside  for  a while. 
You’ll  be  surprised  to  realize  how  these  finishing 
touches,  resulting  from  additional  markings,  will 
become  easy  and  simple  reading  if  they  are  investi- 
gated at  the  right  moment. 

Be  thorough;  follow  the  order  given  within  these 
lessons;  jot  down  one  after  the  other,  in  orderly  fash- 
ion, the  discoveries  you  make  by  the  methodical  appli- 
cation of  the  rules  herein  contained — and  almost  by 
magic  the  complete,  realistic  picture  will  develop  itself 
in  its  fullness  of  details  before  your  very  eyes. 

Of  course  some  special  difficulty  may  puzzle  you 
awhile,  even  lead  you  astray  a little  way,  but  in  the 
final  result  it  will  amount  to  almost  nothing  and  exper- 
ience will  soon  reduce  to  an  infinitesimal  quantity 
these  errors  of  judgment  or  these  lapses  of  memory. 


LINES  AND  SIGNS  ON  THUMB  213 

There  are  some  lines  or  signs  of  which  I have  had 
no  occasion  to  speak  to  you  yet,  and  to  which  I’li 
devote  now  quite  an  amount  of  space.  I refer  to 
The  Lines  and  Signs  on  the  Thumb  and  Eingers. 

In  Chirosophy,  as  you  know  well  by  this  time,  the 
thumb  has  “two”  phalanges,  and  each  of  the  four  fing* 
ers  has  “three.”  The  nailed  phalanx  is  designated 
as  the  “first”  and  the  phalanx  next  to  the  palm  as  the 
“third,”  the  middle  one  being  the  “second.” 

It  has  always  been  admitted  that  in  the  fingers  the 
first  phalanx  represents  “Inspiration,”  the  second 
“Intellect  or  Reasoning,”  and  the  third  “Material 
Instincts.”  In  the  Thumb  the  first  phalanx  stands  for 
“Will  power,”  the  second,  as  in  the  fingers  for 
“Logic.”  And  now  let  me  pass  in  review  the  mark' 
ings  often  met  with  upon  the  five  little  members  that 
render  our  hands  a small  world  in  itself,  a “Micro- 
cosmos.” 

I.  Lines  and  Signs  on  the  Thumb. 

‘Two  stars  near  the  thumb  nail” — Captiousness. 

“A  star  on  the  first  phalanx  of  the  thumb,  with  a 
mount  of  Venus  exaggerate”  (Fig.  34,  c.) — Immor- 
ality. 


214 


LINES  AND  SIGNS  ON  FINGERS 


“One  or  two  stars  on  the  second  phalanx  of  the 
thumb” — ^Amiability. 

II.  Lines  on  all  the  Four  Fingers. 

“One  short  vertical  line  deeply  traced  on  the  joints 
of  all  fingers”  (Fig.  34,  a.  a.  a.  a.) — Sudden  death. 

“One  deep  line  running  the  entire  length  of  all  fing- 
ers”— strong  sense  of  honor. 


FIG.  33.  VARIOUS  LINES  AND  SIGNS. 


“Many  horizontal  lines  on  the  first  phalanx  of  all 
fingers”" — Bad  general  health. 

“Many  small  lines  resembling  creases  on  the  first 
phalanx  of  each  finger,  the  nails  of  which  are  narrow” 
— Debility. 

“Transverse  wavy  lines  on  the  first  phalanx  of  all 
the  fingers” — Danger  ahead. 


LINES  AND  SIGNS  ON  FINGERS  215 
in.  Lines  and  Signs  on  tb.e  Pirst  Finger. 

“A  single  line  on  the  first  finger,  from  the  root  to 
the  top  of  the  first  finger” — Nobility  of  character. 
Great  honors. 

“A  star  on  the  first  phalanx  of  the  first  finger” — 
Favorable  happenings. 

“A  star  on  the  first  phalanx  of  the  first  finger  or  on 
the  second  phalanx  when  surrounded  by  a circle” — 
Profligacy. 

“A  cross  on  the  upper  joint  of  the  first  finger”— 
Literary  success. 

“Many  transverse  lines  on  the  second  and  third  pha- 
langes of  the  first  finger” — Envious  disposition. 

“Lines  on  the  third  phalanx  of  the  first  finger  with 
upward  branches  of  the  Line  of  Life” — Riches. 

IV.  Lines  and  Signs  on  the  Second  Finger. 

“The  second  finger  much  lined” — Impulsiveness. 

“Waving  vertical  lines  on  the  second  finger  with 
cross  rays  on  the  Mount  of  Saturn” — Succession  of 
fatal  happenings. 

“A  triangle  on  the  second  finger”  (Fig.  35,  e.) — ^Tal- 
ent for  occultism. 

“A  star  on  the  first  phalanx  of  the  second  finger” 
(Fig.  33,  d.) — Unfavorable  casualties.  Even  danger  of 


216  LINES  AND  SIGNS  ON  FINGERS 

assassination,  “if  repeated  in  both  hands.”  Seen  also 
in  murderers’  hands. 

“A  star  on  the  first  phalanx  of  the  second  finger, 
with  a triangle  on  the  Mount  of  Saturn”  (Fig.  34  b.) 
— Depravity. 

“A  star  on  the  first  phalanx  of  the  second  finger,  and 
the  said  finger  spatulate  at  the  tip” — Fatal  talent  for 
the  occult  sciences. 


“A  black  spot  on  the  first  phalanx  of  the  second 
finger”  (Fig.  35,  a.) — ^Ague. 

“Two  stars,  one  on  the  first,  one  on  the  second  phal- 
anx of  the  second  finger” — Death  on  the  scaffold. 

“Many  horizontal  lines  on  the  third  phalanx  of  the 
second  finger  with  a smooth  first  phalanx”  (Fig.  35,  c.) 
—Inheritance, 


LINES  AND  SIGNS  ON  FINGERS  217 

“One  or  two  lines  from  the  third  to  the  second  phal- 
anx of  the  second  finger” — Wisdom. 

V.  Lines  and  Signs  on  the  Third  Finger. 

“A  line  from  the  root  of  the  third  finger  to  the  joint 
of  the  first  phalanx” — Great  fame. 

“Several  lines  rising  from  the  root  of  the  third  finger 
to  the  joint  of  the  first  phalanx” — Reverses  due  to 
women. 

“A  cross  on  the  first  phalanx  of  the  third  finger, 
with  a good  Mount  of  Jupiter”  (Fig.  33,  b.) — Chastity. 

“One  or  two  straight  lines  from  the  third  to  the 
second  phalanx  of  the  third  finger,  with  a wide  Quad- 
rangle and  a well  formed  Triangle” — Nobility  of  char- 
acter. 

“One  or  two  lines  extending  from  the  third  to  the 
second  phalanx  of  the  third  finger”  (Fig.  33,  g.  g.) — 
Talait. 

“One  line  from  the  third  phalanx  cutting  deeply  into 
the  second  phalanx  of  the  third  finger” — Wisdom. 

“One  single  vertical  line  on  the  third  phalanx  of  the 
third  finger” — Happiness. 

“A  semi-circle  on  the  third  phalanx  of  the  third 
finger” — ^Unhappiness. 


218 


LINES  AND  SIGNS  ON  FINGERS 
VI.  Lines  and  Signs  on  the  Fourth  Finger. 


“One  clear  line  traversing  the  entire  length  of  the 
fourth  finger” — Veracity. 

“Two  clear  cut  vertical  lines  on  the  fourth  finger” 
(Fig,  35,  d.) — Rectitude. 

“A  line  from  the  root  to  the  first  phalanx  of  the 
fourth  finger” — Success  in  scientific  pursuits. 

“One  deep  vertical  line  in  the  center  of  the  fourth 
finger” — Rectitude, 

“Confused  lines  on  the  second  phalanx  of  the  fourth 
finger” — Untruth. 

“Cross  lines  on  the  second  phalanx  of  the  fourth 
finger” — Deceit. 

“One  well  marked  line  from  the  root  through  the 
third  phalanx  of  the  fourth  finger” — Intelligence. 


FIG.  35.  VARIOUS  LINES  AND  SIGNS. 


LINES  ANi^  SIGNS  ON  FINGERS 


219 


“One  tortuous  line  ascending  from  the  third  to  the 
second  phalanx  of  the  fourth  finger”  (Fig.  32,  k.) — 
Ruse,  crafty  disposition. 

“Many  confused  lines,  or  a single  cross,  on  the  third 
phalanx  of  the  fourth  finger” — Thievish  disposition. 

“A  cross  on  the  first  phalanx  of  the  fourth  finger” 
(Fig.  33,  e.) — Celibacy. 

“Two  stars  on  the  third  phalanx  of  the  fourth 
finger”  (Fig.  33,  f.) — Dishonorable  death. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


DOUBLE  LEXICON  OF  PALMISTIC  INDICATIONS. 

The  first  question  asked  a Chirosophist  by  every 
investigating  subject  is  invariably 

‘^How  Long  am  I to  LiveP’^ 

And  the  second  question,  just  as  urgent,  as  anxious, 
as  persistent,  is:  ‘'What  disease,  what  fatal  accident, 
am  I threatened  with?” 

To  both  these  questions  this  Lexicon  is  to  give 
clear,  concrete,  easily  verified  answers. 

Some  day — some  early  day — my  great  work,  “The 
Theories  and  Practice  of  Palmistry,”  (600  pages,  1,080 
illustrations)  will  be  issued;  and  then,  then  only,  shall 
I be  able  to  indulge  in  the  theories  of  ancient  and  mod- 
ern Palmistry,  and  give  the  whys  and  wherefores  of 
the  hundreds,  yea,  thousands,  of  statements  that  have 
been  presented  the  reader  through  these  pages 
Practical  Hand-reading. 

(2») 


PAIJIISTIC  LEXICON 


221 


And  when  the  time  shall  have  come  to  thus 
strengthen  ‘^practice  by  theory” — a method  more  pop- 
ular than  logical — I shall  treat  the  ‘"Longevity”  ques- 
tion in  proper  fashion.  No  stronger  argument  can 
be  relied  upon  to  inspire  full  confidence  in  Chirosophy 
than  these  scientific  deductions  explaining,  from  A to 
Z,  the  close  correlation  existing  between  the  “Ankna,” 
or  soul,  the  Life  “inflatus,”  or  fluid,  and  those  shapes 
and  markings  in  and  on  the  hands.  The  length  and 
shortness  of  each  existence;  the  ills  it  will  have  to 
encounter,  successfully  or  unsuccessfully;  finally  the 
cause  of  death  and  the  means  and  possibility  of  delay- 
ing the  dread  event,  are  not  only  delineated  on  the 
palm  and  fingers  of  the  hands  but  the  logical  “raison 
d’etre”  of  the  prognostics  thus  revealed  can  be  dem- 
onstrated with  an  accuracy  mathematicians  might— 
and  sometimes  do— envy  us. 

In  the  first  part  of  this  Double  Lexicon  I simply 
propose  to  gather  and  classify  such  observations  as 
may  be  found  scattered  through  the  preceding  chap- 
ters (with  a number  of  new  indications  added),  and 
which  refer  to  the  Human  Life,  from  birth  to  old 
age.  I shall  include  only  such  dicta  as  apply  to  the 
health  of  the  body,  leaving  for  the  second  part  of  the 


222 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


Lexicon  all  facts  concerning  the  events  that  make  or 
mar  a human  existence. 

For  convenience  and  clearness'  sake  I will  divide 
these  observations  into  two  sections:  The  first, 
including  ‘‘Early  Life,  General  Constitution,  Acci- 
dents and  Death;"  the  second  devoted  to  an  “Alpha- 
betically Arranged  List  of  the  principal  Diseases," 
with  the  markings  revealing  their  presence  in  the 
hands. 

One  more  advice  before  launching  in  “medias  res:”  ' 
Whenever  you  want  to  apply  to  your  hand — or  to  any 
other — the  data  given  hereafter,  place  before  your  eyes 
“The  Map  of  the  Hand"  (Fig.  1),  and  the  figures  18 
and  19,  referring  to  the  “Calculation  of  Dates"  in  the 
hand.  All  three  will  be  indispensable  elements  in 
your  fully  understanding  the  exhaustive  list  of  obser- 
vations found  herein.  Remember,  besides,  that  no 
judgment  must  be  passed  by  any  earnest  student  of 
Chirosophy  without  a comparative  study  of  the  vari- 
ous  indications  concerning  any  particular  point  at 
issue. 

I.  Barly  Life,  General  Constitution,  Accidents  and  Death. 

Mystery  of  Birth  (generally  illegitimacy) — ^An 


/ 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON  223 

island  at  the  beginning  of  a badly  formed  Line  of  Fate. 
Also  an  island  at  the  beginning  of  the  Line  of  Life. 

Complaints  (Hereditary) — An  island  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Line  of  Life. 

Childhood  (Unhappy) — ^The  Line  of  Fate,  start- 
ing with  a series  of  zigzags  or  crosses,  or  a corkscrew 
formation  (Fig.  37). 

Accident  in  Early  Life — A cross  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Line  of  Life,  especially  if  a point  is  also  found 
there. 

Weakness  of  Constitution  in  Early  Life — Line  of 
Life  chained  under  the  Mount  of  Jupiter. 

Weakness  of  Constitution — Long,  thin  nails.  Pale 
and  broad  Line  of  Life.  Chained  or  Linked  Line  of 
Life.  Descending  branches  on  the  Line  of  Life.  A 
very  pale  and  wide  Line  of  Heart.  A poor  Line  of 
Liver  and  also  a poor  Line  of  Head,  with  a cross  at 
the  termination  of  the  Line  of  Life.  Many  sm*all  lines 
resembling  creases  on  the  first  phalanx  of  each  finger. 

Death  (Premature) — The  Line  of  Heart  starting 
from  the  Mount  of  Saturn  with  a cross  at  about  the 
center  of  the  Line  of  Head.  (Fig.  21,  a.)  The 
Line  of  Heart  joined  to  the  Line  of  Head  under  the 
Mount  of  Mercury  in  a tortuous  curve.  The  Line  of 


S24  PALMISTIC  LEXICON 

Head  ending  just  before  it  crosses  the  Line  of  Fate, 
with  (or  without)  a cross  on  the  Line, 

Health  (Perfect) — The  three  Bracelets  clearly  traced 
and  unchained.  The  Line  of  Life,  long  and  narrow, 
encircling  the  Mount  of  Venus.  The  Lines  of  Heart 
and  Head  long  and  straight.  The  Line  of  Mars  in 
both  hands.  A straight  Via  Lasciva  acting  as  a sister 
line  to  a straight  Line  of  Liver. 

Health  (Generally  Good) — Absence  of  the  Line  of 
Liver.  The  Third  Angle  well  formed  in  a good  Tri- 
angle. 

Longevity — A straight  Line  of  Liver  ascending  the 
Mount  of  Mercury  with  the  Third  Angle  in  the  Tri- 
angle broad  and  clear. 

Ill  Health  (Continued) — ^The  Line  of  Life  broken  up* 
and  laddered  (Fig.  15,  c.) 

Forces  (Diminishing) — fork  in  the  very  center  oi 
the  Line  of  Life. 

Ill  Health  at  Close  of  Life — ^The  Line  of  Life  ter- 
minating in  a series  of  crosses  with  a wide  Line  of 
Liver  broken  at  its  termination. 

Death  (Imminent) — Yellow  specks  on  the  nails.  A 
break  in  the  Line  of  Life,  in  both  hands,  especially  if 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


225 


the  lower  broken  fragment  turns  toward  the  Mount  of 
Venus.  

Death  (Sudden) — The  Line^Dife  thin  and  meager 
in  the  center,  a spot^_tgpni!iating  the  thinness.  The 
Line  of  Life  ceasing  abruptly  with  a few  little  parallel 
lines  (Fig.  15,  b.).  The  Line  of  Heart  starting  from 
under  the  Mount  of  Saturn  without  forks.  The  Line 
of  Head  sloping  almost  to  the  Rascette  and  terminat- 
ing in  a cross  or  a star. 

Death  (Violent) — A grille  or  gridiron  on  the  lower 
Mount  of  Mars.  The  Lines  of  Life,  Head  and  Heart 
joined  together  at  the  commencement  (Fig.  22,  a.). 
A cross  at  the  termination  of  the  Line  of  Fate,  with 
a grille  on  the  Mount  of  Mercury. 

Death  on  a Journey — Travel  Lines  (from  the  Ras- 
cette upward),  ending  at  the  Line  of  Life  (Fig.  20,  e.). 

Death  by  Water — A circle  on  the  Mount  of  Mer- 
cury. A circle  on  the  Mount  of  the  Moon.  The  Line 
of  Head  sloping  to  the  Mount  of  the  Moon,  and  end- 
ing in  a star.  An  angle  on  the  Mount  of  the  Moon. 

Death  in  Battle — A star  on  the  upper  Mount  of 
Mars.  An  oblique  line  rising  from  the  lower  Mount 
of  Mars  to  the  Mount  of  Saturn. 

Death  (Violent)  in  a thle’^nng  expedition  of  the  sub- 


226  PALMISTIC  LEXICON 

ject~A  grille  or  gridiron  on  the  Mount  of  Mercury. 

Death  in  Prison — The  Line  of  Fate,  starting  from 
the  Quadrangle  and  entering  the  third  phalanx  of  the 
second  finger. 

Death  on  the  Scaffold— The  Line  of  Head  broken 
under  the  Mount  of  Saturn,  with  a Line  of  Life  ending 
abruptly  and  a cross  inside  the  Triangle.  Two  stars, 
one  on  the  third,  one  on  the  second  phalanx  of  the 
second  finger. 

Accident  (Fatal) — A wavy  and  sloping  Line  of 
Head,  with  a cross  on  it  along  the  Triangle  (Fig.  25, e.) 

Accident  (Very  Grave) — A cross  on  the  Line  of 
Head  along  the  Triangle  (Fig.  25,  d.). 

Accident  to  the  Head — The  Line  of  Head  broken 
under  the  Mount  of  Saturn  with  a red  spot  on  the 
Line. 

Assassination  (Danger  of) — A star  on  the  third  pha- 
lanx of  the  second  finger.  A line  rising  below  the 
Mount  of  Saturn  and  cutting  the  Girdle  of  Venus. 

Danger  from  Animals — A star  on  the  Mounts  of 
Saturn  or  Mars.  A horizontal  line  in  the  center  of 
the  Mount  of  the  Moon  running  toward  the  Percus- 
sion. 

Accident  from  a Quadruped — A Line  from  the 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


227 


Mount  of  Venus  to  the  Mount  of  Saturn;  will  be 
fatal  if  this  line  has  branches.  The  Line  of  Head 
broken  under  the  Mount  of  the  Sun. 

II.  Diseases. 

Ague — A blacl?'  spot  op  th^  first  phalanx  of  the  sec- 
ond finger. 

Alcoholic  Troubles — A Line  of  Mart,  in  t>oth  hands 
with  a fork  at  the  end  in  the  direction  of  the  Mount 
of  the  Moon  (Fig.  20,  b.).  A line  rising  from  the  Line 
of  Life  and  terminating  in  a star  on  the  Mount  of  the 
Moon. 

Apoplexy  (Danger  of) — A deep  scar  across  the  Line 
of  Heart.  The  Line  of  Liver  of  varying  color,  but 
red  as  it  crosses  the  Line  of  Head. 

Apoplexy  (Death  by) — Two  perpendicular  lines  pro- 
ceeding straight  from  the  Line  of  Heart  to  the  Mount 
of  the  Moon  (Fig.  22,  d.). 

Asthma — The  Line  of  Heart  sinking  toward  the 
Line  of  Head,  with  a poorly  traced  Line  of  Liver. 

Biliousness — A wavy  Line  of  Liver;  worse  if  accom- 
panied by  an  island  on  the  Line  of  Life;  worse  still  if 
the  subject  has  damp  hands. 

Blindness — Circle  or  spot  on  the  Line  of  Life.  A 
circle  on  the  Line  of  Head  and  a cross  on  the  Line  of 


228  PALMISTIC  LEXICON 

Liver.  A star  close  to  the  Line  of  Liver  in  the  Trh 
angle.  A black  spot  in  the  connecting  point  between 
the  Line  of  the  Sun  and  the  Line  of  Heart. 

Brain  Disease  (Very  Serious) — A pale  and  wide 
Line  of  Head  with  black  spots  and  the  Line  of  Life 
forked  at  the  start. 

Brain  Fever  (Danger  of) — The  sign  of  Mars  on  the 
Mount  of  the  Moon.  The  Line  of  Head  running  foi 
quite  a space  close  to  the  Line  of  Life.  An  island  on 
the  Line  of  Head  with  the  Line  of  Liver  turning  red 
as  it  approaches  the  Line  of  Head. 

Brain  Troubles — A line  from  the  Mount  of  Venus 
ending  at  the  Line  of  Head.  A wavy  Line  of  Head 
inclining  toward  the  Line  of  Liver  with  a Line  of  Fate 
ending  abruptly  at  the  Line  of  Head.  The  Line  of 
Head  joined  with  the  Line  of  Liver,  the  Line  of  Life 
being  forked  at  the  start.  Lines  descending  from  the 
Line  of  Head  and  cutting  the  Line  of  Life,  with  a full 
Mount  of  Mercury. 

Catarrh — Excessive  fullness  of  the  Mount  of  the 
Moon  toward  the  top. 

Childlessness — A weak  and  poor  Line  of  Heart  end- 
ing at  the  Percussion.  Several  short  vertical  lines  at 
the  Percussion  near  the  Mount  of  Mercury,  crossed  by 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON  229 

a line  that  starts  from  a star  on  the  Mount.  The  Line 
of  Life  lying  close  to  the  Thumb,  with  the  Lines  of 
Head  and  Liver  joined  by  a star.  A Line  of  Heart 
bare  of  branches  near  the  Percussion.  A star  on  the 
third  phalanx  of  the  second  finger. 

Circulation  of  the  Blood  (Bad) — Moderately  long 
nails,  but  wide  and  bluish  in  tint.  A very  pale  and 
wide  Line  of  Heart. 

Consumption  (Tendency  to) — Long,  thin,  curved  (or 
worse,  fluted  or  ribbed)  nails.  The  Line  of  Head 
formed  in  little  islands. 

Delirium  Tremens — A black  spot  on  the  Line  of 
Head  in  both  hands  with  a line  from  the  lower  part  of 
the  Line  of  Life  rising  to  the  Mount  of  the  Moon  and 
terminating  in  a star  (Fig.  26,  c.). 

Deafness — Spots  on  the  Line  of  Head  under  the 
Mount  of  Jupiter. 

Diphtheria — The  Line  of  Life  broken  and  cut  just 
as  it  leaves  the  Line  of  Head,  the  latter  cut  by  the 
bam.e  bar,  with  a cross  in  the  Quadrangle  under  the 
Mount  of  Saturn. 

Dropsy — A star  on  the  Mount  of  the  Moon,  but  not 
on  a voyage  line. 

Epilepsy — Short  nails  with  a much-broken  Line  of 


230  PALMISTIC  LEXICON 

Head.  Within  the  Triangle,  a cross  the  points  of 
which  terminate  in  spots. 

Fainting  Fits  (Tendency  to) — The  Line  of  Head  ris- 
ing toward  the  Line  of  Heart  with  the  Line  of  Liver 
starting  from  the  Line  of  Life  (Fig.  26,  b.). 

Feverish  Disposition — Dark  spots  on  the  Line  of 
Head,  with  narrow  and  highly  colored  Lines  of  Life 
and  Liver.  The  Line  of  Liver  thin  and  red  about  the 
middle  of  its  course. 

Generative  Functions  (Troubles  in) — The  fifst 
Bracelet  high  up  and  convex  in  shape.  Especially 
true  for  difficult  childbearing. 

Gout — Excessive  fullness  of  the  Mount  of  the  Moon 
toward  the  top.  A single  deep  line  across  the  Mount 
of  the  Moon,  with  a small  Line  cutting  it.  The  Line 
of  Life  forked  at  its  extremity  with  one  branch  pro- 
ceeding toward  the  Mount  of  the  Moon. 

Giddiness — The  Line  of  Head  rising  toward  the 
Line  of  Heart  at  its  termination. 

Hay  Fever — The  Line  of  Heart  sinking  toward  the 
Line  of  Head,  and  with  an  imperfectly  traced  Line  of 
Liver. 

Headaches  (Frequent) — A chained  or  linked  Line  of 
Head.  Small  lines  cutting  the  Line  of  Head  and  fall- 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


>231 


ftO.  36.  A HAPPY,  LONG-LIVED,  PROSPEROUS  AND  FAMOUS 
EXISTENCE. 


\ 

\ 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


233 


ing  from  it.  The  Line  of  Liver  of  a red  color  near  the 
Line  of  Head. 

Heart  Disease  (Very  Grave) — The  Line  of  Heart 
broken  under  the  Mount  of  Saturn,  the  two  fragments 
overlaying  each  other. 

Heart  (Fatty  DegeneraLon  of  the) — ^Very  fat  and 
pulpy  hand,  with  the  above  signs  added. 

Heart  Troubles — Short  and  square  shaped  nails.  A 
line  from  the  Mount  of  Venus  ending  at  the  Line  of 
Heart.  A very  pale  and  wide  Line  of  Heart.  A poor 
Line  of  Head,  with  the  Line  of  Heart  absent,  and  a 
Line  of  Liver  wavy.  An  island  on  the  Line  of  the 
Sun  with  an  indication  of  illness  on  the  Line  of 
Life. 

Hysteria  (Dangerous) — ^^A  star  on  the  Mount  of  the 
Moon  in  a bad  hand. 

Hydrophobia  (Danger  from) — A star  on  the  Mount 
of  the  Moon  in  both  hands. 

Idiocy — A poor  Line  of  Head,  with  abnormally 
•mail  thumb. 

Illnesses,  but  not  Severe — ^The  Line  of  Life  cut  by 
a number  of  small  short  bars,  almost  capillary  in  thick- 


ness. 


231  PALMISTIC  LEXICON  ‘ 

Illness  (Coming) — Is  marked  on  the  Line  of  Liver 
by  a little  deep  cross  line. 

Illness  from  Sorrow — line  from  the  lower  Mount 
of  Mars,  crossing  over  to  the  Line  of  Heart,  with  other 
signs  of  illness. 

Illness  (Hereditary) — An  island  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Line  of  Life. 

Illness  (Incubating)  to  be  fata! — ^The  Line  of  Life 
broken  in  one  hand,  continued  in  the  other,  the  broken 
fragment  starting  toward  the  interior  of  the  Mount  of 
Venus.  ^'May  be  cured'’  if  the  fragment  starts  toward 
the  palm. 

Illnesses  in  General — Breaks  or  cuts  in  the  Line  of 
Life ; for  each  break  or  cut  an  illness. 

Illness  in  Old  Age — Thick,  much-cut  Line  of  Liver. 

Illness  (Past) — It  is  marked  by  a cross  line  on  the 
Lines  of  Heart  or  Head,  or  both,  and  by  a slight  gap 
in  the  Line  of  Liver. 

Illness  (Preservation  from) — A bar  across  the 
broken  ends  of  the  Line  of  Life. 

Illness  (Recovery  from  a Serious) — ^The  Line  of  Life 
broken  inside  a square  (Fig.  16,  a.). 

Illness  Through  Excesses — An  island  on  the  Line 


835 


PALMibxIw  LEXICON 

of  Life.  A very  pale  and  wide  Line  of  Heart.  A 
double,  wavy  Line  of  Fate  in  the  Triangle. 

Indigestion  (Chronic) — A wavy  Line  of  Liver; 
worse,  if  accompanied  by  an  island  on  the  Line  of  Life. 
Also  with  a poor  and  narrow  Line  of  Head. 

Insanity  of  Some  Kind — The  sign  of  the  Moon  on 
the  Mount  of  the  Moon.  The  Line  of  Life  tasseled  at 
the  end,  one  tassel  going  to  the  Mount  of  the  Moon 
(Fig.  15,  e.).  The  Line  of  Head  wavy  and  rising  in  a 
curve  toward  the  Line  of  Heart  under  the  Mount  of 
the  Sun  or  Mercury.  The  Line  of  Head  sloping 
abruptly  toward  the  Mount  of  the  Moon  with  a star 
on  the  first  finger  (Fig.  24,  b.).  The  Line  of  Head 
broken  under  the  Mount  of  Saturn  and  sloping  toward 
a very  prominent  Mount  of  the  Moon.  Broken  or 
curved  lines  on  a sloping  Line  of  Head. 

Insanity  (Hereditary)  of  the  Erotic  Form — A branch 
of  the  Line  of  Heart  extending  to  the  Mount  of  the 
Moon  and  ending  in  a star. 

Insanity  (Religious) — The  Line  of  Head  forming  a 
large  cross  with  the  Line  of  Liver  on  the  Mount  of  the 
Moon. 

Insanity  (Violent) — The  sign  of  the  Moon  cm  the 
upper  Mount  of  Mars. 


238  PALMISTIC  LEXICON 

Internal  Troubles — Islands  on  the  Line  of  Liver. 
Fullness  in  the  exact  center  of  the  Mount  of  the  Moon. 

Jaundice — Skin  and  Lines  of  a yellow  tinge.  The 
Line  of  Liver  wavy  and  indistinct. 

Kidney  Troubles — Puffy,  watery-looking  skin  with 
a star  on  the  Mount  of  the  Moon. 

Liver  Troubles — A livid  or  yellow  Line  of  Heart. 
A wavy  or  discolored  Line  of  Head  with  a bluish  spot 
on  it.  A wavy  Line  of  Liver. 

Loss  of  Blood — A wavy  Line  of  the  Head  starting 
downward  between  the  first  and  second  fingers. 

Love  Affairs  (Some  Disease  Connected  with) — ^A 
spot  on  the  Mount  of  Venus. 

Maternity  (Dangers  of) — A line  from  the  upper  part 
of  the  Mount  of  Venus  to  the  Mount  of  Saturn.  (See 
Childlessness.). 

Melancholia  (Chronic) — A grille  or  gridiron  on  the 
Mount  of  the  Moon. 

Memory  (Loss  of) — The  Line  of  Head  broken  in 
small  sections,  having  the  appearance  of  small  squares. 

Nervous  Complaint  (left  by  some  disease) — Branch 
rising  from  a black  spot  on  the  Line  of  Life. 

Nervous  System  (Disease  of  the),  from  Hysteria  to 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON  237 

Insanity — A spot  on  the  Mount  of  the  Moon.  Dry 
skin  covered  with  a network  of  lines. 

Nervous  Prostration  (Danger  of) — Moderately  long 
nails  but  wide  and  bluish  in  tint. 

Neuralgia — An  island  on  the  Line  of  Head.  The 
Third  Angle  of  the  Triangle  badly  formed,  with  small 
lines  cutting  the  Line  of  Life. 

Organic  Affections — Livid  holes  upon  any  Line. 
The  nature  of  the  affection  Is  indicated  by  the  usual 
characteristics  of  the  Line. 

Palpitations  of  the  Heart  (Tendency  to) — ^The  Line 
of  Liver  red  at  the  start. 

Paralysis  (Death  by) — A star  at  the  termination  of 
the  Line  of  Fate  with  a star  also  at  the  end  of  the  Line 
of  Life  in  both  hands. 

Paralysis  (Disposition  to) — Short,  flat  and  thin  nails 
of  triangular  shape;  all  the  principal  Lines  poorly 
marked. 

Pleurisy — A line  rising  from  the  Line  of  Life  and 
ending  in  an  island  on  the  Mount  of  Saturn. 

Respiratory  Organs  (Delicacy  of) — Many  islands  on 
the  Line  of  Liver  and  narrow  fluted  nails. 

Rheumatism — Satin  skin.  A fork  at  the  termina- 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


tion  of  the  Line  of  Life.  Fine  lines  crossing  down- 
ward at  the  commencement  of  the  Heart  Line. 

Scarlet  Fever — A small  square  on  the  Line  of  Life 
with  an  upright  cross  inside. 

Spinal  Disease  (Danger  of) — Very  narrow  and 
curved  nails. 

Stomach  Vapors  Reaching  the  Brain — ^The  Line  of 
the  Head  too  thin. 

Suicide  (Tendency  to) — An  exaggerate  first  phalanx 
of  the  second  finger  in  a weak  hand.  An  exaggerate 
Mount  of  Jupiter,  with  the  Line  of  Head  joined  to  the 
Line  of  Liver,  with  a poor  Line  of  Fate  and  many 
lines  crossing  the  Line  of  Life.  A star  at  the  termin- 
ation of  the  Line  of  Fate  with  another  star  on  the 
Mount  of  the  Moon. 

Sunstroke — An  island  on  the  Line  of  Head  under 
the  Mount  of  the  Sun. 

Teeth  (Bad) — A long  and  wavy  Line  of  Heart  with 
a Line  of  Liver  also  wavy  and  the  second  phalanx  of 
the  fingers  relatively  longer  than  the  others. 

Throat  Troubles — Moderately  long,  but  thin  and 
brittle  nails. 

Typhoid  Fever — A small  square  on  the  Line  of  Life, 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


239 


with  a St.  Andrew’s  cross  inside,  and  with,  generally, 
a bluish  dent. 

Wounds — Spots  on  the  Line  of  Heart.  The  Line  of 
Head  broken  under  the  Mount  of  Saturn,  in  both 
hands,  with  the  two  fragments  overlaying  each  other. 

Wound  in  a Fight — A spot  on  the  upper  Mount  of 
Mars. 

Wounds  on  Either  Arm — Capillary  (very  small) 
lines  on  the  Mount  of  the  Sun. 

Wounds  on  Either  Leg — Capillary  lines  on  the 
Mount  of  Saturn. 

Wounds  on  the  Breast — Capillary  lines  on  the 
Mount  of  Mercury. 

Wounds  on  the  Head — Capillary  lines  on  the  Mount 
of  Jupiter.  A star  on  the  Line  of  Head  (Fig.  26,  f.). 

Wounds  Through  the  Vital  Organs — Capillary  lines 
on  the  upper  Mount  of  Mars. 

The  two  illustrations  (Fig.  36  and  37)  entitled 
respectively,  ‘^A  Happy,  Long-Lived,  Prosperous  and 
Famous  Existence,”  ‘‘An  Unhealthy,  Vicious  and 
Unfortunate  Existence,”  contain  a number  of  mark- 
ings, all  explained  in  full  within  these  pages.  Thanks 
to  my  close  method  of  classifying  chiromantic  indica- 
tions it  will  be  found  easy  by  all  earnest  and  persever- 


240 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


ing  students  of  my  work  to  discover  in  these  eighteen 
chapters  the  needed  explanations.  And  I propose 
leaving  the  task  to  their  ingenuity  as  a necessary  appli- 
cation of  my  teachings. 

The  Second  Part  of  this  Lexicon  includes  a Collec- 
tion of  Prognostics  of  all  such  Feelings,  Facts  and 
Events  as  may  combine  to  make  of  every  human  exist- 
ence a heaven  or — the  other  thing. 

I.  Love;  Its  Best  and  Worst  Features. 

Chastity — A cross  on  the  first  phalanx  of  the  third 
finger  with  a good  Mount  of  Jupiter. 

Constancy — Many  lines  ascending  the  thumb,  but 
not  crossed  so  as  to  form  a grille  or  gridiron  of  large 
size.  The  Mount  of  Venus  moderately  developed 
with  a long  and  narrow  Line  of  Head.  A cross  on 
the  Mount  of  Venus  with  strong  first  phalanx  of  the 
thumb.  A well-traced  Line  of  Heart,  forked  at  the 
start,  one  fork  running  up  the  Mount  of  Jupiter. 

Coquetry — An  exaggerated  Mount  of  Venus  with  a 
Line  of  Heart  chained  or  poorly  marked,  or  both. 

Disappointment  Through  Loved  Ones — Downward 
branches  on  the  Line  of  Heart. 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON  241 

Engagement  (Broken) — A break  in  the  Line  of 
Heart.  If  it  occurs  “under  the  Mount  of  Saturn”  it 
has  been  caused  by  circumstances  not  under  the  sub- 
ject’s control;  if  “under  the  Mount  of  the  Sun”  the 
financial  question  separated  the  lovers;  if  “under  the 
Mount  of  Mercury”  a caprice  of  the  subject  caused  the 
break.  See  also  the  Line  of  Marriage  when  forked; 
if  “the  fork  is  inside  the  hand”  the  engagement  will 
have  been  broken  by  the  subject  in  whose  hand  this 
fork  is  found.  “F-  found  at  the  other  end,”  on  the  Per- 
cussion, the  break  will  have  been  the  act  of  the  other 
party. 

Flirtation  (Serious) — Island  on  the  Line  of  Heart. 
The  Mount  of  Venus  in  both  hands  lined  and 
exaggerate.  A poor  Line  of  Heart  with  a chained 
Line  of  Head.  The  Third  Angle  of  the  Triangle  very 
obtuse  with  the  first  phalanx  of  the  thumb  weak.  A 
crescent  within  the  Triangle. 

Heartlessness — ^The  Mounts  of  the  Sun  and  Venus 
insignificant  in  both  hands,  with  a poor,  branchless 
but  straight  Line  of  Heart. 

Happiness  in  Love — A clear,  straight,  uncrossed 
line  from  the  Mount  of  Venus  to  the  Mount  of  Mer- 


242  PALMISTIC  LEXICON 

cury.  A well  traced  Line  of  Heart,  starting  with  a 
fork,  one  branch  going  up  to  the  Mount  of  Jupiter. 

Immorality — A star  on  the  first  phalanx  of  the 
thumb,  with  an  exaggerate  Mount  of  Venus.  A star 
on  the  first  phalanx  of  the  first  finger,  or  on  the  second 
phalanx,  if  inclosed  in  a semi-circle.  Cross  bars  on 
the  Mount  of  Venus,  unless  the  Lines  of  Head  and 
Heart  are  clear  and  good.  Many  crosses  or  Lines  at 
the  root  of  the  thumb. 

Influence  of  Opposite  Sex  (Great) — Lines  falling 
from  the  Line  of  Heart  to  the  Line  of  Head  without 
quite  reaching  the  latter.  One  clear,  straight  line 
from  the  Mount  of  Venus  to  the  Triangle,  with  a star 
inside  the  Quadrangle.  A star  on  the  Mount  of  Venus. 

Influence  of  Opposite  Sex  (Fatal) — The  Line  of 
Fate  forking  at  its  termination,  one  branch  toward  the 
Mount  of  Venus,  another  toward  the  lower  Mount  of 
Mars. 

Jealousy — ^The  Line  of  Heart  stretching  clear 
around  the  Percussion,  with  an  exaggerate  Mount  of 
Venus.  A long  Line  of  Heart,  with  a high  Mount  of 
the  Moon  and  a girdle  of  Venus.  The  Line  of  Heart 
running  comparatively  near  to  the  fingers. 

Life  (Loveless) — ^The  Line  of  Life  and  the  Line  of 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON  243 

Heart  very  far  apart  at  the  start,  and  both  branchless. 

Love  Affair  (Fatal) — Two  lines  joining  the  Line  ol 
Fate  low  down,  one  rising  from  the  Mount  of  Venus 
and  the  other  from  the  Mount  of  the  Moon.  The  Line 
of  Head  starting  close  to  the  Line  of  Life,  rising 
toward  the  Line  of  Heart  under  the  Mount  of  Saturn, 
and  then  resuming  its  normal  direction.  The  Lines 
of  Life,  Head  and  Heart  united  at  the  start  with  the 
Line  of  Head,  ending  in  two  long  branches,  one 
descending  deep  into  the  Mount  of  the  Moon. 

Love  (Ardor  in) — ^The  Line  of  Liver,  with  the  Via 
Lasciva  as  a sister  line. 

Love  Conquests — White  spots  on  the  Line  of  Heart 

Love  (Desire  for) — Smooth  fingers,  with  pointed 
tips  and  the  Mount  of  Venus  strong. 

Love  (Fatal) — A cross  on  the  Mount  of  Venus, 
unless  there  should  be  also  a cross  on  the  Mount  of 
Jupiter.  The  Line  of  Head  slanting  downward  quite 
close  to  the  Line  of  Life. 

Love  for  a Married  Person — An  island  on  the  Line 
of  Fate  in  both  hands.  Accompanied  by  an  island  on 
the  Line  of  Heart  “the  love  would  stop  at  nothing.” 
An  island  stretching  from  the  Mount  of  Venus  almost 
to  the  Line  of  Heart. 


m 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


Love  for  a Near  Relative — The  Line  of  Marriage 
formed  into  islands. 

Love  (Great  devotion  in) — A double  Line  of  Heart, 
"will  cause  sorrow  to  the  subject.”  Large  thumb  with 
firm  (not  hard)  hands. 

Love,  (Ideal) — A long,  narrow  Line  of  Heart  start- 
ing high  up  from  the  Mount  of  Jupiter. 

Love  (Material) — A strong  Mount  of  Venus,  with  a 
Line  of  Heart  beginning  under  the  Mount  of  Saturn. 
A pale,  wide  Line  of  Heart  with  a line  proceeding 
from  the  Mount  of  Venus  to  the  Mount  of  Mercury 
or  lower  Mount  of  Mars.  A rayed  and  crossed  Mount 
of  Venus. 

Love  Not  Ending  in  Marriage — Short  lines  ascend- 
ing from  the  Line  of  Fate  to  the  Line  of  Heart. 

Love  (Only  for  One) — ^The  Line  of  Heart  evenly 
forked  under  the  Mount  of  Jupiter,  with  a cross  on  the 
Mount  of  Venus.  The  Line  of  Fate  losing  itself  in  a 
Line  of  Heart  that  started  upon  the  Mount  of  Jupiter. 

Love  (Prudence  in) — A triangle  on  the  Mount  of 
Venus  with  a strong  second  phalanx  of  the  thumb. 

Love  (Skill  in) — A line  starting  from  the  Mount  of 
Venus  and  going  straight  to  the  Mount  of  Mercury. 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


245 


In  a good  hand:  “Prudence  and  wisdom  in  love.” 
In  a bad  hand:  “Strategy  of  a deceitful  character.” 

Love  (Troubles  in) — A Line  of  Fate  chained  when 
crossing  the  Line  of  Heart,  or  stopping  below  it.  An 
indented  or  much  crossed  Line  of  Heart.  A badly 
formed  star  inside  the  Triangle. 

Love  Wrecking  One’s  Life — Lines  rising  from  the 
Mount  of  Venus  and  cutting  the  Lines  of  Life,  Head 
and  Heart. 

Loved,  But  to  the  Subject’s  Sorrow — ^Three  stars 
close  to  the  Line  of  Life  on  the  Mount  of  Venus.  The 
Line  of  Head,  after  crossing  part  of  the  hand,  return- 
ing toward  the  Mount  of  Venus. 

Loved  by  Two  and  Getting  None— A line  from  the 
Mount  of  Venus  with  a cross  on  it. 

Love  Affairs  (Two  Simultaneous) — ^Two  parallel 
lines  from  the  Mount  of  Venus  to  the  lower  Mount  of 
Mars.  A star  connected  with  either  line  would  mean 
an  unfortunate  termination  of  the  matter. 

Troubles  from  Unfaithfulness — One  deep  line  from 
the  second  joint  of  the  thumb  across  the  Mount  of 
Venus  and  cutting  the  Line  of  Life. 

Unhappiness,  Through  Misplaced  Affection— Lines 
falling  from  the  Line  of  Fate  to  the  Rascette,  with  a 


246 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


star  on  Jie  Mount  of  Venus.  The  Line  of  Head  arcfc 
ing  tov;ard  the  Line  of  Heart  and  falling  back  toward 
the  Line  of  Life.  The  Line  of  Fate  rising  from  the 
Mount  of  the  Moon  and  terminating  at  the  Line  of 
Heart. 

Women  (Fatal  Influence  of) — A crescent  on  the 
Mount  of  the  Moon. 

Women  (Influence  of) — A well-formed  star  in  the 
Quadrangle,  in  a man’s  hand,  shows  that  he  is  good 
and  true  to  a woman  who  does  with  him  what  she 
pleases. 

Woman  (Unhappiness  Through  a) — A star  at  the 
base  of  the  Mount  of  Venus  just  below  the  second 
phalanx  of  the  thumb. 

II.  From  Celibacy  to  Divorce. 

Celibacy — A cross  on  the  first  phalanx  of  the  fourth 
finger. 

Childlessness — A star  on  the  Line  of  Liver.  A star 
on  the  third  phalanx  of  the  second  finger.  A poor 
Line  of  the  Heart  terminating  without  fork  or  tassel, 

Children — Short  lines  from  the  root  of  the  fourth 
finger  moving  down  toward  the  Line  of  Marriage  on 
the  Percussion. 

Divorce — A line  running  from  the  Mount  cj  Venui 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON  347 

to  the  Line  of  Heart,  there  ending  in  a fork,  confirmed 
by  an  island  on  the  Line  of  Fate.  The  Line  of  Mar- 
riage ending  in  a fork  and  drooping  toward  the  Line 
of  Heart. 

Family  Affection — ^The  fingers  and  the  palm  of 
even  size  with  the  Mount  of  Jupiter  well  developed. 

Happiness  (Domestic) — A straight,  clear,  uncrossed 
Line  of  Fate  rising  from  the  Rascette,  providing  the 
Line  ends  high  upon  either  the  Mount  of  Jupiter  or 
that  of  Saturn.  A cross  on  the  Mount  of  Jupiter. 

Marriage  (Happy) — The  Line  of  Fate  starting  from 
the  Mount  of  the  Moon,  stopping  at  the  Line  of  Heart, 
with  a clear  cross  on  the  Mount  of  Jupiter. 

Marriage  (Law  Suits  Connected  with  a) — A sharp, 
deep,  perpendicular  line  proceeding  from  below  to- 
ward the  Line  of  Marriage,  but  just  not  cutting  it. 

Marriage  (Prevented  by  Death) — A sudden,  sharp 
break  in  the  Line  of  Marriage. 

Marriage  (Unhappy) — A line  rising  from  a star  on 
the  Mount  of  Venus  to  the  Line  of  Heart,  where  it 
ends  in  a fork.  An  island  on  the  Line  of  Marriage 
with  a cross  bar  on  the  Line  of  Fate. 

Marriage  (Unsuitable) — ^The  Line  of  the  Sun  cut  by 


^ 1 PALMISTIC  LEXICON 

the  Line  of  Marriage  (shows  a loss  of  position;  a 
“Mesalliance”). 

Marriage  (Wealthy) — cross  and  a star  on  the 
Mount  of  Jupiter. 

Marriage  with  an  Artist— A branch  from  the  Line 
of  Marriage  toward  the  Mount  of  the  Sun. 

Marriage  with  a Business  Man — A line  from  the 
Rascette  to  the  Mount  of  Venus  and  thence  to  the 
Mount  of  Mercury. 

Marriage  with  an  Old  Person — ^A  line  from  the 
Rascette  to  the  Mount  of  Venus,  and  from  thence  to 
the  Mount  of  Saturn. 

Troubles  Connected  with  Marriage — ^The  Line  of 
Marriage  crossed  by  many  perpendicular  lines.  One 
deep  horizontal  line  on  the  Mount  of  the  Moon  with  a 
star  on  the  Mount  of  Venus. 

Widowhood  or  Widowerhood — The  Line  of  Mar- 
riage sloping  toward  the  Line  of  Heart.  A line  from 
the  Line  of  Heart  to  the  Line  of  Fate,  with  the  latter 
broken.  A black  spot  on  the  Line  of  Marriage. 

III.  Fortune;  Favorable  or  Otherwise. 

Ambition  (Gratified) — The  Line  of  Fate  starting 
from  tlje  Mount  of  Jupiter  (very  rare).  The  Line  of 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


m 


FIG.  37.  AN  UNHEALTHY,  VICIOUS  AND  UNFORTUNATE 
EXISTENCE. 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


S61 


Fate  terminating  on  the  Mount  of  Jupiter;  the  higher 
it  goes  the  greater  the  success. 

Celebrity  Attained  by  Chance — good  Line  of 
Fate,  with  a star  on  the  Mount  of  the  Sun.  Parallel, 
vertical  lines  on  the  Mount  of  the  Sun,  if  distinct  and 
uncrossed  in  both  hands. 

Celebrity  Due  to  Talent — One  single  line  well 
traced  and  ending  in  a star  on  the  Mount  of  the  Sun, 
with  a clear  Line  of  the  Sun  in  both  hands. 

Disappointment  Through  Life — ^The  Line  erf  Life 
throwing  out  small  branches  toward  the  Rascette. 

Dishonor — A star  on  the  Mount  of  Mercury,  with  a 
low  Mount  of  Jupiter. 

Events  Causing  Radical  Changes — ^The  Line  of  Life 
forked  at  its  termination;  a cross  low  down  near  the 
wrist. 

Events  in  One’s  Life  (Serious) — Every  important 
step  we  take  is  marked  by  a straight  line  from  the 
Mount  of  Venus  to  the  Mount  of  Saturn.  Whether  it 
has  been  or  will  be  favorable  or  not  depends  on  the 
Line  of  Fate,  which  study,  according  to  indications 
given  in  these  pages,  and  by  constant  practice. 

Events  (Fatal) — The  Line  of  Head  joining  the  Line 


252  PALMISTIC  LEXICON 

of  Life  under  the  Mount  of  Saturn.  A star  on  the 
first  phalanx  of  the  second  finger. 

Events  (Fortunate,  but  Late  in  Life) — A cross  at  the 
lower  part  of  the  Triangle  (inside). 

Failure — The  Line  of  Life  terminating  in  a series 
of  crosses  in  both  hands,  with  a poor  Line  of  Fate. 
The  Mount  of  the  Sun  cut  up  by  numerous  capillaries. 
The  Line  of  the  Sun  terminating  in  a series  of  small 
lines  when  near  the  mount. 

Fame — clearly  marked  Line  of  the  Sun,  not 
crossed  with  bars.  A star  on  the  Mount  of  Jupiter. 
A line  rising  from  the  root  of  the  third  finger  and  ter- 
minating on  the  joint  of  the  first  phalanx. 

Fortune  (Brilliant) — The  Line  of  the  Sun,  starting 
from  the  foot  of  the  Line  of  Life.  A line  from  the 
Line  of  Head  terminating  in  a star  on  the  Mount  of 
Jupiter. 

Fortune  Due  to  Another’s  Caprice — ^The  Line  of 
Fate,  starting  from  the  Mount  of  the  Moon  and  con- 
tinuing, straight  and  clear,  to  the  Mount  of  Saturn. 

Fortune  Following  a Laborious  Life — ^The  first 
bracelet  of  the  Rascette  chained  but  even  and  unin- 
terrupted. The  Line  of  the  Sun  rising  from  the  lower 
part  of  the  Triangle,  with  a good  Line  of  Fate. 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON  253 

Fortune  (Good) — The  Lines  of  Heart  and  Head 
forked  under  the  Mount  of  Jupiter,  A single  deep 
vertical  line  on  the  Mount  of  Mercury.  One  deep, 
clear,  vertical  line  on  the  Mount  of  Jupiter.  A line 
extending  from  the  Mount  of  Venus  to  the  Mount  of 
Mercury. 

Friendship  of  the  Great — One  or  two  crosses  on  the 
second  phalanx  of  the  first  finger.  A well-traced  line 
from  inside  the  Quadrangle  to  the  Mount  of  Mercury. 
A deeply  traced  Line  of  the  Sun  with  a strong  Mount 
of  Jupiter  in  both  hands. 

Glory — The  Line  of  the  Sun  terminating  in  three 
even  branches  of  the  same  length,  one  toward  the 
Mount  of  Mercury,  one  toward  the  Mount  of  Saturn. 

Grand  Destiny  (A) — The  Line  of  Fate  rising  from 
the  Rascette  and  entering  the  second  phalanx  of  the 
second  finger.  Extraordinary  fate  for  good  or  evil. 
See  the  other  indications  in  both  hands  for  a correct 
interpretation. 

Happiness — One  straight  line  on  the  third  phalanx 
of  the  third  finger.  A single  clear  line  on  the  Mount 
of  Saturn  with  upward  rays  starting  from  it.  A single, 
unbroken  line  forming  the  first  bracelet  of  the 

Rascette. 


254  PALMISTIC  LEXICON 

Happiness  (Intense) — The  presence  of  a perfect 
Line  of  Mars  and  of  an  excellent  Via  Lasciva  follow- 
ing, sister-like,  the  Line  of  Liver. 

Happiness  (Negative) — A line  of  heart  rising  from 
between  the  Mounts  of  Jupiter  and  Saturn.  The 
Mount  of  Saturn  well  developed  and  not  rayed.  No 
signs  or  chance  lines  on  the  Mount  of  the  Moon. 

Happiness  (Unexpected) — The  Line  of  Fate  start- 
ing from  the  Mount  of  the  Moon,  and  losing  itself  in  a 
Line  of  Heart,  itself  starting  from  the  Mount  of 
Jupiter. 

Homicide,  committed  by  the  subject — A cross  or  a 
grille  on  an  exaggerate  upper  Mount  of  Mars,  with  a 
narrow  Quadrangle  and  a broad  but  weak  Line  of 
Heart. 

Honors  and  distinctions — Many  branches  on  the 
Rascette.  A line  straight  from  the  Rascette  to  the 
Mount  of  the  Sun.  A star  in  the  Quadrangle.  A 
single  line  from  the  root  of  the  third  finger  to  the  first 
phalanx. 

Honors  through  friendship  of  the  great — ^A  line 
from  the  root  of  the  fourth  finger  sloping  down  the 
Mount  of  Mercury. 

Honors  with  riches — Branches  ascending  from  the 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON  305 

Line  cf  Life  toward  the  center  of  the  Line  of  Head; 
“tending  inside  the  Triangle,”  these  honors  and  riches 
are  acquired  after  great  struggles. 

Imprisonment — In  a bad  hand,  a square  on  the 
lower  part  of  the  Mount  of  Venus  close  to  the  line. 

Opportunities  (Favorable) — ^The  Line  of  Fate  rising 
straight  from  inside  the  Triangle  in  both  hands,  with  a 
clear  long  Line  of  Head. 

Reverses — A cross  on  the  Mount  of  the  Sun,  the 
Line  of  Fate  starting  with  branches  from  the  Rascette. 

Reverses  Due  to  Women — The  ring  of  Venus  well 
formed  but  cut  by  a deep  bar  under  the  Mount  of  the 
Sun.  Several  lines  rising  from  the  root  of  the  third 
finger  and  cutting  the  joints  up  to  the  first  phalanx. 

Success  (Phenomenal) — A line  from  the  Lin©  of 
Head  ending  in  a star  on  the  Mount  of  Jupiter. 

Talent  in  General — ^Thumbs  set  very  low  in  the 
hand. 

Troubles  in  Middle  Life — ^The  Line  of  Fate  poorly 
marked  as  it  approaches  the  center  of  the  hand, 
rv.  Success  or  Pailure  in  Special  Callings. 

Art  (Celebrity  in) — A straight,  clear  line  from  the 
Line  of  Head  to  the  root  of  the  third  finger,  which 
must  be  full  sized.  The  Line  of  Fate  running  direct 


856  PALMISTIC  LEXICON 

to  the  Mount  of  the  Sun  unless  crossed  or  barred. 
The  Line  of  the  Sun  taking  its  start  from  the  Line  of 
Life  in  both  hands. 

Art  (Failure  in) — Smooth  joints  with  spatulate  tips 
and  a badly  developed  Mount  of  the  Sun. 

Art  Failure  for  Want  of  Concentration — ^Several 
confused  lines  on  the  Mount  of  the  Sun.  Two  or 
three  upward  branches  of  the  Line  of  the  Sun  crossed 
by  others.  A branch  of  the  Line  of  the  Sun,  reaching 
the  Mount  of  the  Sun  and  divided  into  two  forks  in  the 
form  of  a V. 

Business  (Aptitude  for) — The  third  finger-tip  square 
in  both  hands.  The  second  phalanx  of  the  fourth 
finger  well  developed. 

Chemistry  (Aptitude  for  and  Success  in) — Short, 
vertical  lines  near  the  Percussion  on  the  Mount  of 
Mercury  (not  to  be  confounded  with  “Children* 
Lines). 

Clairvoyance  (Gift  of) — ^The  Line  of  Intuition  com- 
mencing with  an  island.  The  Line  of  Head  terminat- 
ing in  a long,  fine  fork  on  the  Mount  of  the  Moon. 
The  existence  of  the  “Ring  of  Solomon”  (i.  e.,  a 
branch  of  the  Line  of  Heart  encircling  the  Mount  of 
Jupiter). 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


257 


Oerical  Life  (Honors  in) — A line  from  the  Rascette 
rising  to  the  Mounts  of  Jupiter  or  Saturn.*  Knotted 
joints  with  conical  finger  tips. 

Diplomacy  (Success  in) — A pointed  fourth  finger 
with  a triangle  on  the  Mount  of  Mercury.  The  Line 
of  Head  forked,  one  branch  down  to  the  Mount  of  the 
Moon,  with  a good  Mount  of  Mercury. 

Discoveries — ^White  spots  on  the  Line  of  Head. 

Dramatic  Genius — The  third  finger  with  spatulate 
tips,  and  a strong  Mount  of  the  Sun.  A branch  from 
the  Line  of  Fate  to  the  Mount  of  Mercury. 

Eloquence  (Fame  Through) — A long,  p'binted  first 
phalanx  of  the  fourth  finger.  A well  developed  Mount 
of  Mercury  with  a star  on  the  third  phalanx  of  the 
fourth  finger.  A long  Line  of  Head  sloping  toward 
the  Mount  of  the  Moon,  with  the  Mount  of  Jupiter 
very  strong  and  with  a grille  on  it.  A small  triangle 
at  the  termination  of  the  Line  of  Head. 

Genius — A much  developed  Mount  of  the  Sun. 

Genius  in  Invention — Much  developed  Mounts  of 
the  Sun  and  Mercury.  The  thumb  set  very  low  in 
both  hands,  with  a Mount  of  Mercury  so  large  as  to 
extend  to  the  Percussion. 

Genius  (Misdirected)— Two  wavy,  irregular  lines  on 


258  PALMISTIC  LEXICON 

the  Mount  of  the  Sun,  with  a good  Line  of  the  Sun. 

Genius  (Rewarded) — good  Line  of  the  Sun  in 
both  hands,  with  one  single,  deep,  clear  line  on  the 
Mount  of  the  Sun. 

Legal  Success  (Bench  or  Bar) — line  from  the 
Rascette  to  the  Mount  of  Jupiter  (not  a travel  line). 

Literary  Success — A cross  on  the  upper  joint  of  the 
first  finger.  A line  from  the  wrist  to  the  Mount  of  the 
Sun.  A star  on  the  Mount  of  Mercury  accompanied 
by  lines  rising  and  touching  the  Lines  of  Head  and 
Heart  with  white  spots  on  the  Line  of  Head  under  the 
Mount  of  the  Sun. 

Medical  Skill — ^Two  or  three  vertical  lines  on  a good 
Mount  of  Mercury. 

Military  Lite  (Honors  in) — ^A  triangle  or  star  on 
either  Mounts  of  Mars.  A triangle  inside  the  Trian- 
gle, between  the  Lines  of  Life  and  Fate. 

Military  Skill — ^The  Mounts  of  Mars  well  developed, 
and  a deep  line  on  the  third  phalanx  of  the  second 
finger. 

Mimicry  ("Talent  for) — The  Line  of  Head  ascending 
the  Mount  of  Mercury  at  its  termination. 

Nurse's  Skill — ^Two  clear-cut,  vertical  lines  op 
fourth  finger. 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON  259 

Poetry  (Talent  for) — Srnooth  joints  and  a small 
thumb  with  a grille  on  the  Mount  of  the  Moon. 

Public  Life  (Honors  in) — A star  on  the  first  joint  of 
the  first  finger  or  on  the  Mount  of  Jupiter.  A triangle 
on  the  Mount  of  Mercury.  (See  Diplomacy.) 

Scientific  Pursuits  (Success  in) — Fourth  finger  as 
long  as  the  second  finger.  A triangle  or  white  spots 
found  on  the  Line  of  Head  near  tb''  Mount  of  Mer- 
cury. A line  from  the  root  to  the  first  phalanx  the 
fourth  finger. 

V.  Financial  Success  or  Failure. 

Bankruptcy — An  island  on  the  Line  of  Liver,  with 
the  Line  of  Fate  cut  up  by  small  lines,  the  Line  of  the 
Sun  being  absent  or  poorly  formed.  The  Line  of  Fate 
starting  below  the  first  bracelet  of  the  Rascette  and 
terminating  at  a short  Line  of  Head.  A narrow  Tri- 
angle caused  by  the  Line  of  Life  inclining  toward  the 
Line  of  Head. 

Economizing  (Talent  for) — A very  strong  and 
straight  Line  of  Head  with  a poor  Line  of  Heart  and 
the  first  finger  relatively  longer  than  the  rest. 

Extravagance  in  Money  Matters — Fingers  easily 
curved  backward. 

Failure  in  Money  Matters — ^A  very  hollow  palm, 


360 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


especially  when  the  hollow  inclines  towarc!  the  Line  of 
Fate.  A cross  on  the  Mount  of  Mercury,  so  close  to 
the  Line  of  Heart  as  to  cause  one  of  it?  branches  to 
cut  the  Line. 

Gain  in  Commerce — A clear,  straight  line  from  the 
Line  of  Head  to  the  Mount  of  Mercury. 

Gambler  or  Speculator’s  Instincts  ~ The  third 
finger  almost  as  long  as  the  second,  with  a long  slop- 
ing Line  of  Head. 

Greed— The  Line  of  Heart  crossing  the  palm 
straight  and  clear  to  the  Percussion,  with  the  fingers 
showing  a natural  bend  inward.  The  Mounts  of  Mer- 
cury and  the  Sun  somewhat  exaggerate  with  the  third 
phalanx  of  every  finger  long  and  thick. 

Honesty  (Doubtful) — A wavy  line  of  Head  Vv^ith  a 
narrow  Quadrangle  and  an  exaggerate  (or  much 
rayed)  Mount  of  Mercury. 

Inheritance^ — An  acute  angle  cutting  the  first  brace- 
let of  the  Rascette.  If  a cross  or  star  is  close  to  it  ^^the 
inheritance  will  be  large.”  The  Line  of  Head  accom- 
panied by  a sister  line  (very  rare).  Many  horizontal 
lines  on  the  third  phalanx  of  the  second  finger  if  the 
second  phalanx  is  not  rayed. 

Legacies — Branches  ascending  on  either  side  of  the 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


261 


Line  of  Life  toward  the  Line  of  Head  and  the  Mounts 
of  Saturn  or  the  Sun.  A line  starting  from  a star  on 
the  Mount  of  Venus  and  proceeding  unbroken  to  the 
Mount  of  the  Sun. 

Riches — The  Line  of  the  Sun  long  and  uncrossed. 
Three  or  more  branches  from  the  Line  of  Head  to  the 
Mount  of  Jupiter.  Lines  on  the  third  phalanx  of  the 
first  finger  with  branches  from  the  Line  of  the  Sun.  A 
good  Line  of  Fate  with  a branch  of  the  Line  of  Head 
extending  to  the  Mount  of  the  Sun.  A line  from  the 
Rascette  to  the  Mount  of  the  Sun.  ' 

Success  in  business — A line  from  the  wrist  crossing 
the  Line  of  Head  and  Heart  and  reaching  the  Mount 
of  Mercury.  The  Line  of  Fate  terminating  on  the 
Mount  of  Mercury. 

Theft — An  island  on  the  Line  of  Liver  with  an 
exaggerate  Mount  of  Mercury.  The  Mount  of  Mer- 
cury exaggerate  with  a grille  or  a cross  or  a star  on  it. 
A cross  on  the  third  phalanx  of  the  fourth  finger. 
Many  confused  lines  on  the  third  phalanx  of  the  fourth 
finger. 

Wealth,  Fatal  to  Happiness — A star  on  the  Mount 
of  the  Sun  when  the  Line  of  the  Sun  is  missing  in  both 
hands. 


26S 


PALMISTIC  LEXICON 


Wealth,  Late  in  Life — Two  branches  from  the  Ras- 
cette  to  the  Mount  of  the  Sun.  Branches  from  the 
Line  of  Life  downward  to  the  Triangle  with  a good 
Line  of  Fate. 


APPENDIX. 


L 


A SHORT  THEORY  OE  THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE 
LINES. 

It  is  impossible  to  give  this  appendix  the  propor- 
tions of  a scientific  treatise. 

I wish,  however,  to  briefly  touch  upon  some  of  the 
essential  points  which  establish  the  connection 
between  palmistry  and  the  discoveries,  or  rather  I 
should  say,  the  demonstrations  of  modern  science. 

I,  therefore,  in  common  with  my  masters  in  chiro- 
mancy, lay  it  down  as  a principle,  that  we — that  is, 
terrestrial  beings — are  surrounded  by  an  imponderable 
and  mysterious  fluid  which  presents  four  different 
manifestations;  ‘flight,  heat,  electricity,  magnetism.’' 

This  fluid,  we  have  succeeded  in  condensing,  and, 
sometimes,  in  directing,  and,  in  short,  in  giving  it  a 
more  and  more  important  part  in  our  existence, 

(26a) 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  LINES 


264 

But  no  science,  none,  without  any  exception*  what- 
ever, has  more  clearly  pointed  out  its  source  and 
primordial  origin,  than  the  recently  improved  science 
of  Chirosophy. 

This  science  proclaims  that  the  astral  fluid  is  an 
emanation  from  the  principal  heavenly  bodies  that  sur- 
round the  earth.  That  this  emanation  returns  whence 
it  came,  and  is  again  emitted  in  a kind  of  perpetual 
respiration. 

The  whole  terrestrial  creation,  to  a greater  or  less 
degree,  is  affected  by  this  incessant  and  powerful 
exhalation,  and  human  beings  are  more  susceptible  to 
this  influence  than  the  rest  of  creation,  that  is,  they  are 
more  'Tygrometric,”  if  the  expression  may  be  allowed; 
they  retain  the  impression  it  produces  upon  them  with 
remarkable  distinctness. 

*Thomas  A.  Edison  and  a number  of  other  electricians 
happening  to  meet  recently  in  the  Western  Union  office,  the 
discussirn  which  followed  took  the  direction  of  recent  devel- 
opments in  electricity.  Incidentally  some  one  spoke  of  the 
indefiniteness  of  various  terms  employed  to  designate  the 
measurements  of  electrical  force,  and  said,  “Ohm,  for 
instance,  and  volt  and  ampere:  what  real  idea  of  power  do 
these  terms  convey?”  “Oh,”  said  Mr.  Edison,  smiling, 
“those  terms  are  very  useful  terms.  They  serve  to  conceal 
our  ignorance  of  electricity.” — “N.  Y.  Tribune,  July  22, 
1883.” 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  LINES 


265 


It  is  impossible  to  pretend  that  the  influence  thus 
exerted  by  the  orbs  of  heaven  upon  human  creatures 
and  all  terrestrial  nature  is  a merely  speculative  hypo- 
thesis. 

To  dispose  of  any  such  suggestion  it  is  sufficient  to 
mention  the  influence  exerted  by  ^^the  Sun/’  whose 
rays  ripen  the  crops  and  whose  light  (aside  from  the 
effects  of  heat)  gives  life  and  development  to  the  whole 
vegetable  creation. 

I might  also — among  the  thousand  phenomena  rec- 
ognized by  the  severest  scientist  of  modern  times^ — 
speak  of  the  influence  of  “the  Moon”  upon  the  period- 
ical ebb  and  flow  of  the  tide,  upon  woman’s  mysteri- 
ous organization,  and,  lastly,  upon  the  human  brain, 
whose  aberrations  are  commonly,  and  with  truth,  attri- 
buted to  it. 

With  regard  to  the  complex  and  universal  character 
of  this  fluid — which  I will  continue  to  call  “the  astral 
fluid,”  as  I do  not  wish  to  manufacture  out  of  the 
whole  cloth  any  barbarous  term  that  might  include  so 
great  number  of  diverse  elements — with  regard  to  its 
Icharacter  is  it  not  indicated  with  sufficient  clearness 
in  the  form  assumed  by  the  larger  part  of  natural 
objects,  in  the  leaves  of  the  trees,  for  example,  whose 


266 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  LINES 


fibres  are  arranged  not  with  invariable  regularity  of 
form,  but  in  infinite  variety,  a variety  that  reveals  the 
subtle  and  ever  diverse  nature  of  the  force  which  is 
present  and  active  in  their  creation? 

The  fluid  is,  therefore,  “present;”  its  power  sur- 
rounds us,  it  forms  part  of  our  very  being. 

If  the  “Sun”  and  “Moon”  play  such  an  important 
part  in  our  moral  and  physical  development,  as  it  is 
established  authentically,  what  reason  can  there  be  for 
doubting  but  that  the  other  heavenly  bodies  which  are, 
to  say  the  least,  of  equal  dignity — “Jupiter,”  “Saturn,” 
“Mercury,”  “Mars”  and  “Venus” — aid  also  in  some 
manner  in  the  distribution  of  this  fluid  whose  integral 
elements,  as  we  said  before,  are  factors  that  still  remain 
unknown  to  the  world  of  science? 

Possibly  I may  be  met  by  the  objection  that  many 
other  planets  and  stars  are  known  to  the  science  of 
astronomy  in  addition  to  the  seven  great  luminaries 
to  which  I have  alluded,  and  every  decade  fresh  dis- 
coveries are  made  that  increase  that  number. 

It  may  be  asked,  why  disregard  all  these  other  plan- 
ets and  stars  and  recognize  no  sidereal  influence 
except  that  exerted  by  the  seven  heavenly  bodies 

which  have  been  enumerated  above? 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  LINES  267 

My  answer  to  this  specious  argument  is  that 
'‘Venus,  Mercury,  Mars,  Jupiter  and  Saturn’'  are  the 
most  important  of  the  planets,  and  are  so  considered 
by  modern  science;  that,  on  account  of  the  immense 
distance  of  “Uranus”  from  the  “Sun,”  its  influence  is 
lost  upon  us;  that  “Vesta,  Ceres,  Pallas  and  Juno” 
are  so  small  that  they  are  regarded  as  the  “debris”  ef 
some  planet  that  has  been  shattered  in  pieces. 

And,  finally,  that  the  planets  which  have  been 
recently  discovered  with  so  much  difficulty  are  of 
small  importance,  either  by  reason  of  their  distance 
or  by  reason  of  their  small  size,  and  their  influence 
may  be  disregarded  as  inappreciable. 

Nor,  upon  this  point,  have  I any  apprehension  that 
exact  science  can  refute  what  I say. 

Standing  thus  upon  well-established  facts,  and  with- 
out venturing  to  transcend  in  the  slightest  degree  the 
limits  fixed  by  modern  science  which  divide  the  known 
from  the  unknown,  I affirm:  “the  Existence  of  the 
Astral  Fluid.” 

It  issues,  either  simultaneously  or  separately,  from 
the  seven  great  luminaries  that  shine  down  upon  us. 

It  envelopes  the  earth,  exerts  an  influence  upon  it, 
and  this  influence  is,  so  to  speak,  dominant. 


m THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  LINES 

It  then  returns  by  “a  kind  of  respiration'’  to  the 
heavenly  bodies,  whence  it  was  emitted  and  again 
acquires  fresh  power  to  be  again  exerted  upon  us,  and 
so  it  will  go  on  in  perpetual  succession,  until  the  con- 
summation of  time  and  the  universe. 

Having  established  this  much,  the  questions  arise: 

1.  What  is  the  specific  effect  produced  by  this  fluid 
upon  human  beings? 

2.  Upon  what  part  of  the  human  organization  is 
the  effect  produced? 

3.  Finally,  what  traces  does  it  leave  in  evidence  of 
its  passage? 

The  answer  to  the  first  of  these  three  questions  is 

found  in  the  body  of  this  work.  Th^e  sole  purpose,  in 

. . . - ~ - 

fact,  of  this  book  is  to  exhibit  the  results  produced 

upon  our  past  lives  and  upon  the  brief  period  that  is  in 
store  for  us,  through  the  presence  and  influence  of  the 
^^Astral  Fluid,”  whether  we  assume  that  the  influence 
is  exerted  harmoniously,  that  is, — phenomenon  almost 
without  example, — ^with  the  absolute  accord  of  the 
seven  dominant  orbs,  or  upon  the  assumption — ac- 
cording to  the  preponderance  of  probability — that  we 
are  subject  to  the  supremacy  of  certain  heavenly  body 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  LINES 


269 


ies  over  others,  unequally  and  with  a discordance 
unfortunately  but  too  inevitable. 

To  the  second  of  the  questions,  the  reply  ought  to 
be  furnished  for  us,  and  will  be,  by  the  positive  conclu- 
sions of  medical  science. 

The  science  of  medicine  explains  now  fully  the 
‘‘nature  of  man’s  nervous  system,”  and  shows  that  it 
is  now  understood,  as  clearly  and  completely  as  are 
the  systems  of  the  veins,  arteries  and  muscles. 

It  teaches  that  from  the  chief  nerves,  which  are  huge 
conduits,  issue  thousands  of  fine  ramifications,  sensi- 
tive to  the  slightest  galvanic  shocks,  and  centering 
more  particularly  “in  the  head  and  hands;  in  the 
head,”  where  reside  four  of  the  senses,  sight,  hearing, 
taste  and  smell;  “in  the  hands,”  chief  seat  of  the  fifth 
sense,  the  sense  which  alone  is  able  to  supply,  to  a 
great  extent,  the  loss  of  all  the  rest,  the  “sense  of 
feeling.”  * 

*The  nerves  that  connect  the  brain  with  the  hands  belong 
to  the  ‘Trachial  Plexus’’  (meaning  bundle  of  nerves  belong- 
ing to  the  arm)  formed  by  the  interlacing  of  the  anterior 
branches  of  the  last  cervical  pairs  and  the  first  dorsal.  Those 
nerves  which  are  on  the  hand  are  first,  the  ‘hnedian  nerve” 
reaching  the  palmar  surface  of  all  the  fingers;  second,  the 
“cubital  nerve”  extending  to  the  first  three  (thumb  included). 


270  THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  LINES 

Here,  no  doubt,  it  will  be  asked,  why  the  hand 
should  be  the  part  of  the  human  body  upon  which  the 
action  of  the  Astral  Fluid  should  be  principally  con- 
centrated? 

My  answer  is  (and  it  is  the  answer  of  physiological 
science),  that  the  fingers  are  the  instruments  of  the 
soul’s  life,  and  have  in  their  possession  the  secrets  of 
human  action;  that,  as  the  palm  of  the  hand  in  all 
diseases  of  irritation  or  inflammation,  becomes  burn- 
ing hot,  so  the  hand  really  is,  in  a measure,  the  “f@eus 
of  the  soul’s  instinctive  life.” 

The  means  of  communication  through  which  this 
instinctive  life  overflows  are,  first,  the  prominences  or 
“mounts”  upon  the  hand  (see  Chapter  VII.),  and,  sec- 
ondly, an  accumulation  of  “Pacinic  Corpuscles,”  the 
presence  of  which  has  been  discovered  both  in  the 
prominences  or  “mounts,”  and  also  “in  the  palm”  and 
“at  the  extremeties”  or  “tips”  of  the  fingers. 

These  corpuscles,  two  hundred  and  fifty  or  three 
hundred  in  number,  consist  of  a congeries  of  nerves, 
as  was  discovered  by  Dr.  Pacini,  of  Pisa,  and  probably 
perform  the  function  of  “innervation,”  or,  in  other 
words,  the  “absorption  of  the  Astral  Fluid,”  which  is 
the  peculiar  function  of  the  hand.  They  swve  as 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  LINES  271 

“reservoirs  of  electricity/’  and  give  the  hand  its  pecul- 
iar sensitiveness.  * 

I consider  that  the  doctrine  of  the  exhalation  and 
absorption  of  the  Astral  Fluid,  its  so-called  respiration, 
has  now  been  solidly  fortified,  with  the  help  of  the 
independent  results  of  modern  physiological  science. 

In  conclusion,  I would  refer  to  the  fact  that  between 
the  extremities  of  the  fingers  and  the  brain,  a com- 
munication is  going  on  incessantly,  and  thorough- 
going materialists  go  so  far  as  to  maintain  that  this 
form  of  vitality,  which  is  superior  to  all  others,  consti- 
tutes what  is  called  the  “human  soul,”  the  “Psyche” 
of  the  Ancients. 

Without  pretending  to  follow  the  great  leaders  of 
modern  medical  science  so  far,  I merely  contend  here, 
that  the  hands  certainly  serve  as  the  chief  reservoir 

*Dunglidon,  in  his  admirable  ‘^Dictionary  of  Medical 
Science’^  defines  the  Pacinic  corpuscles  in  these  words: 
“Small  bodies  connected  with  cutaneous  nerves  of  the  palm 
and  sole.  In  each  corpuscle  there  is  the  termination  of  a ner- 
vous filament,”  and  he  mentions  also  the  “Tactile  or  Touch 
corpuscles  as  bodies  composed  of  a horizontally  laminated 
mass  of  areolar  tissue  found  in  the  papillae  of  parts  endowed 
with  great  tactile  sensibility.  The  nerves  of  touch  communi- 
cate with  them  and  their  function  is  to  render  the  sense  more 
acute. 


272  THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  LINES 

of  the  nervous  fluid,  and  inasmuch  as  this  fluid  is 
identical  with  the  Astral  Fluid  (see  foregoing  observa- 
tions), I have  thus  answered  the  third,  as  well  as  the 
second,  of  the  previously  stated  questions,  that  is  to 
say: 

It  is  in  man’s  hands  that  we  shall  find  revealed : 

1.  The  “larger”  or  “smaller  measure”  of  each 
man’s  “capacity”  to  “absorb  the  Astral  Fluid.”  This 
we  shall  discover  from  the  shape  of  the  hand  in  accord- 
ance with  the  laws  of  “Chirognomy.” 

2.  The  “traces  left”  upon  the  material  substance 
of  the  hands  “by  the  ceaseless  passage  of  the  fluid,” 
under  the  form  of  lines  and  various  marks,  which  will 
appear  after  a few  days’  study  to  be  as  easy  to  read  as 
the  alphabet  to  an  intelligent  child. 

A knowledge  of  the  laws  which,  scientifically  and 
not  arbitrarily,  are  deduced  from  a study  of  the  palm 
of  the  hand  forms  the  science  of  “Chiromancy.” 

We  again  repeat  that  “modern  Palmistry”  unites 
and  combines  these  two  elements  in  order  to  obtain, 
by  these  means,  a complete  and  incontrovertible  result 
— a joint  result,  which  is  obtained  by  two  independent 
and  adverse  examinations. 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  LINES 


273 


Possibly  the  incredulous  may  suggest  that  the  lines 
in  question  are  caused  by  the  hand's  motions. 

Were  there  any  foundation  for  this  idea,  how  does 
it  happen  that  laboring  men  and  artisans — men  who 
are  constantly  employed  in  some  kind  of  manual  labor 
— have  very  few  lines  apparent  upon  the  inside  of  their 
hands,  while  women  of  leisure  and  professional  men, 
who  are  exempt  from  fatiguing  labor  have  a great 
many  lines  traced  upon  their  hands? 

Moreover,  how  is  the  fact  to  be  explained  away,  that 
many  of  these' lines  may  be  found  upon  the  hands  of 
newly  born  infants? 

Lastly,  if  the  doctrines  of  palmistry  are  not  logical^ 
scientific  and  true,  how  is  the  fact  to  be  accounted  for 
— a fact  established  beyond  all  doubt  by  experiments 
]that  have  been  repeated  a thousand  times — to-wit:  the 
fact  that  the  lines  that  traverse  the  palm  actually 
change  from  time  to  time  not  only  with  changes  of 
occupation,  but  also,  and  especially,  in  consequence 
of  changes  in  moral  and  intellectual  conditions,  and 
still  more  under  the  influence  of  a persistent  will?. . . . 


TRS  BENBB  OE  TOUGH,  THE  SKIN  AND  THE  NEB.VE 
CENTBES. 

(From  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica,  Vol.  I.,  p,  897.) 

After  the  ‘'Cuticle  or  Epidermis’'  forming  the  outer 
covering  of  the  skin  is  removed  the  “Cutis  vera” 
appears  and  is  seen  to  be  studded  with  multitudes  of 
minute  elevations,  the  “papillae”  of  the  skin.  These 
“papilae”  are  either  simple  conical  structures  or  com- 
pound with  two  or  three  branches.  “They  are  largest 
in  the  palms  and  soles,”  being  from  one-hundredth  to 
two-hundredths  of  an  inch  high  and  arranged  in 
ridges;  usually  they  are  much  shorter  and  irregularly 
distributed.  The  cutis  is  formed  of  connective  tissue 
in  which  stellate  connective  tissue  corpuscules  and 
elastic  fibres  are  abundant.  It  is  highly  vascular;  the 
small  arteries  that  go  to  the  skin  give  off  branches  to 
the  lobules  of  fat  in  the  subcutaneous  tissue,  then  pen- 
etrate the  cutis  and  form  a “plexus”  from  which 

(274) 


TOUCH,  SKIN  AND  NERVES  275 

laries  arise,  which  enter  the  papillae  xid  form  vascular 
loops  within  them. 

The  nerves  of  the  skin  are  the  cutaneous  branches 
both  of  the  spinal  and  of  certain  of  the  cervical  nerves. 
They  run  through  the  subcutaneous  tissue  and  enter 
(he  deep  surface  of  the  cutis  when  they  divide  into 
branches. 

As  these  pass  toward  the  papillae,  they  unite  to 
form  a nerve  ^'plexus/’  from  which  smaller  branches 
arise  to  form  the  papillae  and  terminate  ‘^more  espec- 
ially in  the  palm  of  the  hand,  fingers  and  sole,’’  which 
are  the  surfaces  most  sensitive  to  touch  impressions, 
in  the  ‘^tactile  or  touch  corpuscles.^’ 

These  touch  corpuscles,  discovered  by  Wagner  and 
Meissner,  are  the  peripheral  end-organs  of  the  nerves 
of  touch.  They  may  be  single  or  compound;  are  usu- 
ally ovoid  in  form;  not  unlike  a minute  fir-cone;  and 
are  transversely  marked,  from  the  tranverse  direction 
of  the  nuclei  of  fusiform  cells  which  form  an  inverting 
capsule. 

Each  corpuscle  and  each  division  of  a compound 
corpuscle  is  penetrated  by  one  and  by  never  more  than 
one  medulated  nerve  fibre,  but  the  exact  mode  of  ter- 
mination of  the  axial  cylinder  of  the  fibre  has  not  been 
ascertained. 


DUMAS  PILS,  THE  AUTHOR  OP 
‘^CAMILLE/'  INTERVIEWED. 

M.  Alexandre  Dumas  said: 

^^Desbarrolles  initiated  into  his  science  a lady  of  per- 
fectly correct  judgment,  great  eloquence  and  whose 
fine  and  delicate  perception  was  not  slow  in  penetrat- 
ing into  the  mysteries  of  the  hand  further  than  he  ever 
went  himself.  That  unity  of  method  and  thought 
which  exists  between  Desbarrolles  and  the  Initiated 
affords  the  means  of  giving  an  incontestable  proof  of 
the  truth  of  the  science.  One  or  other  of  the  two,  it 
matters  not  which,  examines  the  hand,  studies  it, 
explains  it,  relates  the  past,  and  predicts  the  future. 
The  other,  absent  from  the  room,  enters,  takes  the 
hand,  explains  it  in  his  or  her  turn,  and  deviates  not 
a shade  from  what  his  predecessor  has  divulged  as  t© 
the  past  or  the  future. 

^The  evening  of  the  day  when  he  received  my  tele- 


DUMAS  FILS  INTERVIEWED  273 

gram,  Desbarrolles  arrived  at  my  house,  followed  or 
rather  preceded  by  the  Initiated.  He  found  with  me 
the  two  promised  hands. 

‘They  belonged  to  a young  and  robust  person  of 
twenty-seven  years  of  age,  with  black  eyes,  sparkling 
under  a forest  of  hair — a rare  thing  in  our  day — teeth 
of  enamel,  a complexion  tinged  with  the  sun,  but  full 
of  life,  and  bearing,  as  a particular  mark  on  the  cheeky 
a large  sabre  cut,  leaving  a scar  from  the  ear  to  the 
mouth.  She  passed  into  my  room  with  me,  and  gave 
to  the  Initiated  her  two  hands,  somewhat  plump  but 
beautifully  shaped,  with  the  mounts  of  Mars,  Mercury, 
the  Sun,  Saturn  and  Jupiter  rather  prominent,  Venus 
well  developed  and  a line  of  life  stretching  fiercely 
across,  with  three  or  four  breaks  in  it. 

“‘Good  and  well;  here  is  a beautiful  and  fortunate 
hand,’  said  the  Initiated,  whilst  Desbarrolles  remained 
in  the  drawing-room  out  of  hearing.  Then,  without 
hesitation:  ‘A  double  illustration,’  said  she,  ‘a  family 
and  a personal  illustration.’ 

“The  owner  of  the  hand  shrunk  a little. 

“ ‘It  is  true,’  said  I;  ‘go  on.’ 

“The  Initiated  continued : ‘At  five  years  of  age  you 
incurred  the  danger  of  death.’ 


878  DUMAS  FILS  INTERVIEWED 

“ ‘I  do  not  recollect,’  replied  the  patient. 

'“Think  well;  it  is  impossible  I can  be  deceived. 
You  see  that  little  break  at  the  top  of  the  line.  Find 
some  recollections  of  infancy.’ 

“ Tt  may  be,  but  it  is  impossible  you  could  see  that 
in  my  hand.’ 

“ T see  a danger  of  death ; I cannot  say  what  kind.’ 

“ ‘Well,  at  five  years  of  age  I was  in  Brazil.  My 
father  had  a tame  leopard.  One  day,  as  I was  sleep- 
ing in  the  garden,  lying  on  the  grass,  the  leopard 
sprang  suddenly  upon  me,  as  if  he  wished  to  devour 
me,  and  tore  my  dress  in  pieces.  My  father,  who 
thought  it  was  at  me  the  animal  aimed,  rushed  up  to 
my  assistance,  but  at  the  same  time  being  awoke,  I 
arose  and  took  to  flight.  A coral  serpent  fell  from 
beneath  my  clothes.  It  was  dead.  The  leopard,  who 
aimed  at  it  and  not  at  me,  had  crushed  its  head  with 
his  teeth.’ 

“ ‘There,’  said  the  Initiated,  ‘I  knew  I could  not  be 
mistaken.’  And  she  continued:  ‘At  fifteen,  another 
danger  of  death,  but  this  time  by  poison.’ 

“ ‘This  time  again  you  are  right,’  said  the  person 
asked.  ‘One  day  while  walking  in  a wood,  I found  a 
tree  that  was  unknown  to  me,  which  bore  a fruit  mueh 


DUMAS  FILS  INTERVIEWED 


279 


resembling  a gourd.  It  was  of  a beautiful  red  color, 
and,  when  opened,  there  came  out  three  or  four  ker- 
nels of  a delightful  velvety  smoothness.  I carried 
them  to  my  father  and  mother,  but  neither  one  nor  the 
other  knew  the  fruit.  The  nuts  were  so  pretty  that 
we  used  them  in  the  evening  to  play  with  instead  of 
counters.  I took  one  of  them  and  passed  it  several 
times  over  my  lips,  pleased  with  its  agreeable  smooth- 
ness. A young  man  who  was  paying  his  court  to  me 
did  the  same  with  his.  The  same  night  I was  taken 
with  a burning  fever.  My  lips  became  chapped,  and 
in  the  morning  I was  a prey  to  the  most  violent  vomit- 
ings. At  the  end  of  three  days  the  yellow  fever 
declared  itself.  The  young  man,  attacked  with  the 
same  symptoms  as  I,  had  also  the  yellow  fever,  but  had 
not  the  good  fortune  to  recover  as  I did.  He  died.’ 

‘Now,’  continued  the  chiromantist,  ‘as  to  the  great- 
est danger  you  have  incurred — the  danger  of  violent 
death  between  nineteen  and  twenty — it  is  that  to  which 
belongs  that  sabre-cut.  There  is  a fire  in  the  midst  of 
all  that,  is  there  not?’ 

“ ‘Yes;  they  had  set  the  house  on  fire  in  one  place, 
while  murder  was  being  committed  in  another.’ 

“ ‘But,’  continued  the  Initiated,  ‘there  is  produced  a 


*280 


DUMAS  FILS  INTERVIEWED 


singular  phenomenon.  The  line  of  chance,  broken  by 
that  frightful  catastrophe,  belongs  to  that  catastrophe 
even  more  strongly  and  more  continued.  One  would 
say  that,  losing  all  on  the  side  of  affection,  you  had 
gained  on  the  side  of  fortune.’ 

‘All  that  is  amazingly  exact.’ 

“ ‘Lastly,  two  years  ago  you  escaped  a serious 
enough  danger.  It  ought  to  be  when  confined  with 
your  third  child?’ 

“An  affirmative  nod  replied  to  this  last  question. 

“ ‘And  now,’  continued  the  sybil,  ‘you  have  nothing 
more  to  fear  up  to  forty-five  years  of  age.  You  will 
then  incur  danger  on  the  water.  Then,  that  danger 
past,  the  Line  of  Life  resumes  its  power,  and  the 
Magic  Bracelet,  which  continues  it,  promises  you  long 
and  happy  days.  If  you  pass  to  the  general  signs,  I 
will  tell  you  that,  although  a woman,  you  have  a sol- 
dier’s hand,  combative  and  imperious.  You  like  bod- 
ily exercise,  movement,  horses.  You  have  very  fine 
tact.  None  of  your  sentiments  proceed  from  reason; 
but  on  the  contrary,  you  ^ct  instinctively,  by  sympathy 
or  antipathy.  Had  you  been  a man,  you  would  have 
been  a soldier;  free  to  follow  your  own  calling,  you 
would  have  been  an  actress.’ 


DUMAS  FILS  INTERVIEWED 


281 


study  of  the  hand  was  finished  by  the  Initiated. 
'We  returned  to  the  dining-room,  where  Desbar- 
rolles  resumed  the  hands  of  the  la4y  in  question,  and 
told  her  literally  the  same  thing.’' 


IV. 


THE  (S^RSAT  BALZAC’S  AFFIRMATIONS  IN  FAVOR 
OF  FALMISTRY. 

'To  learn  to  know  the  disposition,  in  the  atmos- 
pheric variations  of  the  hand,  is  a more  certain  study 
than  that  of  physiognomy. 

'Thus,  in  arming  yourself  with  this  science,  you  arm 
yourself  with  a great  power,  and  you  will  have  a thread 
that  will  guide  you  into  the  labyrinth  of  the  most  impe- 
netrable hearts.’'  h.  * ♦ ♦ 

"To  predict  to  a man  the  events  of  his  life  by  the 
sight  of  his  hand  is  not  more  extraordinary  to  him  who 
has  received  the  power  of  knowing  it,  than  to  say  to  a 
soldier  that  he  will  fight;  a barrister  that  he  will 
speak;  or  a shoemaker  that  he  will  make  a pair  of 
boots.”  He  ^ He  ★ 

"The  line  where  flesh  ends  and  the  nail  begins,  con- 
tains the  inexplicable  mystery  of  the  constant  trans- 
formation of  fluids  into  horn,  showing  that  nothing  is 

fast) 


BALZAC’S  AFFIRMATIONS 


*83 


impossible  to  the  wonderful  modification  of  the  human 
substance.”  * * * * * 

“Well,  if  God  has  printed,  to  the  eye  of  certain  clear- 
seeing  minds,  the  destiny  of  each  man,  on  his  physiog- 
nomy— taking  this  word  as  meaning  the  total  expres- 
sion of  the  body — ^why  should  not  the  hand  give  the 
characteristics  of  the  physiognomy,  since  the  hand 
contains  the  whole  of  human  acting  and  its  only  medi- 
um of  manifestation?”  * * * * (Balzac  in 

“Le  Cousin  Pons.”) 


HANDS  OF  CELEBRITIES. 


LIST  OF 

HANDS  OF  CELEBRITIES 


William  E.  Gladstone. 

Vice-Roy  Li-Hung-Chang. 

General  Boulanger. 

Queen  Elizabeth. 

Sarah  Bernhardt. 

Mrs.  Keeley. 

Mrs.  Langtry. 

Miss  Esther  Palliser. 

Jim  Corbett  (both  hands). 

Miss  Edna  Lyall. 

Eugene  Sandow. 

Deeming,  the  murderer, 

A photographed  hand  of  the  author. 

Vincent  d’Indy,  the  music  composer. 
Carolus-Duran,  the  painter. 

S.  MacManus,  the  writer. 

Mownet-Sully,  the  foremost  French  tragedian. 
Marcellin  Berthellot,  the  famous  scientist, 
Frangois  Copee,  leading  French  poet. 

“Gyp”  (Countess  de  Martel),  novelist. 
Alexandre  Dumas,  fils,  novelist  and  playwright. 
Loie  Fuller,  the  dancer. 

Emile  Zola,  the  novelist. 

William  Bouguereau,  the  painter. 

W'histler,  the  painter  and  etcher. 

Madame  Rejane,  the  Parisian  actress. 

Sarasate,  the  great  Spanish  violinist. 

Maud  Gonne,  the  “Irish  Joan  of  Arc.” 


Young  “Chimpanzee”  Monkey. 


HAND  OF  EMILE  ZOLA,  THE  NOVELIST. 


HAND  OF  LOIE  FULLER,  THE  DANCER. 


HAND  OF  WHISTLER,  THE  PAINTER  AND  ETCHER, 


HkND  OF  WILLIAM  BOUGUEREAU,  THE  PAINTER, 


HAND  OF  SARASATE,  THE  GREAT  SPANISH  VIOLINIST. 


HAND  OF  MADAME  REJANE,  THE  PARISIAN  ACTRESS. 


HAND  OF  MAUD  GONNE,  THE  “IRISH  JOAN  OF  ARC. 


HAND  OF  A YOUNG  “CHIMPANZEE”  MONKEY. 


HAND  OF  CAROLUS-DURAN,  THE  PAINTER, 


HAND  OF  VINCENT  D INDY,  THE  MUSIC  COMPOSER. 


HAND  OF  MOUNET-SULLY,  THE  FOREMOST  FRENCH  TRAGEDIAN 


HAND  OF  S.  MAC  MANUS,  THE  WRITER. 


HAND  OF  FRANCOIS  COFFEE,  THE  LEADING  FRENCH  FOET. 


HAND  OF  MARCELLIN  BERTHELOT,  THE  FAMOUS  SCIENTIST, 


FORMER  FRENCH  MINISTER  OF  FOREIGN  AFFAIRS. 


HAND  OF  ALEXANDRE  DUMAS,  FILS,  NOVELIST  AND  PLAYWRIGHT 


HAND  OF  “GYP’^  (COUNTESS  DE  MARTEL),  THE  NOVELIST. 


HANDS  OF  CELEBRITIES 


\ 


UBRAfTf 
OF  TRE  , 


HANDS  ©F  CELEBRITIES 


HANDS  OF  CELEBRITIlt 


FIG.  40.  GENERAL  BOULANGER,  FRENCH  STATESMAN 

{^Committed  Suicide,) 


RANDS  OF  CELEBRITISS 


FIQ.  41.  QUEEN  ELIZABETH. 

{The  Shape  of  the  Hand  from  Pictures^  the  Lines  supplied  by  Mpert 
Chtrosophists.) 


UBR^fiY 
Ofv  Tut 

UKIVERSITY  Ot"  11L1K013 


HANDS  OF  CELEBRITIES. 


flO.  42.  QUCEN  VICTORIA. 
[FBOU  HBB  aiATCK.] 


QFIME 

u^iiV£RS^Y  uf  iiu;co 


HANDS  OF  CELEBRITIES 


FIO.  43.  MRS.  KEELEY,  THE  “DEAN”  OF  ENGLISH  ACTRESSES. 


U8RARY 
Of  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILUfiOiG 


HANDS  OF  CELEBRITIES 


HANDS  OF  CELEBRITIES 


H 


I 


OF  THE 
UWVEBSITY  Of 


ILimOlS 


HANDS  OF  CELEBRITIES 


UBRAHY 
OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILUHDIS 


HANDS}  OF  CELEBRITIES 


FIG.  48.  EUGENE  SANDOW,  THE  “STRONGEST  MA.^  Off 
EARTH.” 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  Of  ILLINOIS 


HANDS  OF  CELEBRITIES 


'i'VLT  Jre” 


J 


■i 


' ■ ) 


